With the Phoenix Suns expected to entertain trade offers for Kevin Durant this offseason, the Houston Rockets are poised to make a run at the two-time NBA champion, especially if they bombed out in the first round.
Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey proposed a trade that will land the Suns a former champion point guard and draft picks, including their own, to re-tool around Devin Booker.
Bailey’s trade proposal:
Phoenix Suns receive: Fred VanVleet, Cam Whitmore, a 2027 first-round pick (via Phoenix), a 2028 first-round pick and a 2030 first-round pick
Houston Rockets receive: Kevin Durant
“The math is a little tougher on this one than some of the previous deals, since the Phoenix Suns are a “second apron” team that can’t aggregate outgoing salaries or take in more money than it sends out.
In short, this is about the only combination of players that works for the Houston Rockets to bring Kevin Durant in for this run.
That’s why Houston is sending the Suns back its own 2027 pick and including two more firsts for good measure. It’s a relatively steep price to pay for a 36-year-old with KD’s injury history, but the Rockets’ resulting rotation would be pretty terrifying,” Bailey wrote.
Why This Trade Proposal Makes Sense For Both Teams
Durant could help the Rockets take the next step. The Rockets currently trail the Golden State Warriors, Durant’s former team, 3-1 in their first-round series. Their lack of go-to-guy in crunchtime has the Rockets losing steam in close games against the Warriors. Durant can instantly fill in that role for them even at his advanced age.
On the other hand, the Suns get flexibility and a competent point guard to team up with Booker in their backcourt.
“Fred VanVleet’s 2025-26 salary comes by way of a team option, so there could be some instant flexibility there. And Cam Whitmore would give the team a promising, athletic wing to play alongside Devin Booker (or be a building block in the event Booker gets moved, too),” Bailey wrote.
But the best part of this deal is replenishing the Suns’ barren draft capital.
Suns to Shift From Chasing Stars to Grinders
Durant’s time in Phoenix could be ending this summer as NBA insider Chris Haynes reported that they are moving on from the Big 3 model, which did not result in any playoff success over the last two seasons.
“One thing that I was told is that the Suns want to transition,” Haynes said on “Haynes’ Briefs” on April 18. “They want to move away from the model that they’ve been going after for the previous two years of accumulating star talent, star players and then trying to see if it can mesh on the court. They want to move away from that and they are going to move away from that.
“So, the purpose right now and the goal moving into next season is to accumulate defensive-minded tough players. They want to play a defensive-minded, grind-it-out type of game. They want to have a product on a court that fans can appreciate.”
VanVleet is a hard-nosed point guard who fits the type of player the Suns are looking for. His championship experience in Toronto has lifted the Rockets. He can do the same with the Suns.
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Suns Trade Proposal Net Champion PG, Picks for Kevin Durant