The Houston Rockets are still in the running and should be the favorites in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes as trade talks get serious.
ESPN’s senior NBA insider Shams Charania reported on Friday, June 13, that the Phoenix Suns have narrowed down the list of serious suitors, which includes the Rockets.
“There is some serious traction on conversations on trade scenarios with the Suns,” Charania said on Friday’s episode of the “Pat McAfee Show” in Indiana. “They’ve had about six to eight teams [who] reached out. There’s been interest, there’s been some offers. There have been some negotiations. But really, in the last 24 to 48 hours, I’m told, the focus of the Suns’ conversation has been on a few of the teams, and here they are: the Houston Rockets, the Miami Heat and the Minnesota Timberwolves. I’m told those are the three teams right now where a lot of the focus for Durant lies.”
Previously, Charania reported that the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks have also expressed interest. But that seems no longer the case, as a Durant trade could happen “potentially even sooner than seven days,” according to Charania.
Durant is on an expiring $54.7 million salary, the final year of his current four-year, $190 million contract. He is eligible to sign a two-year, $112 million extension.
Suns Eye Getting Back Picks From Rockets
Getty Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns dunks against Dillon Brooks of the Houston Rockets.
Among the teams that have expressed interest in Durant, the Rockets are the leaders of the clubhouse because they possess the draft capital that the Suns covet.
According to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, the Suns have contacted the Rockets since their seasons ended.
“Phoenix is aggressive in pursuit of a) trading Kevin Durant and b) regaining full control of their draft capital starting with the No. 10 pick in next month’s draft, team sources said. Since the conclusion of the season, Houston has fielded several calls from Phoenix, who have since gradually lowered their asking price for Durant, those sources said,” Iko wrote.
The Suns gave up four first-round picks and a pick swap on top of Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges for Durant at the trade deadline in 2023. Most of those picks are now with the Rockets, who are in a great position to trade for Durant should they want to.
In March, The Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin reported that the Suns were looking to regain those picks from the Rockets.
“Sources informed The Republic that the most ideal return on a Durant trade is regaining three first-round picks and a young player as part of a multi-team deal tied to getting under the second apron,” Rankin wrote.
The Rockets have plenty of young players whom they could dangle to the Suns.
Amen Thompson is ‘Untouchable’
Getty Amen Thompson and Houston Rockets General Manager Rafael Stone look on prior to an NBA In-Season Tournament game against the Denver Nuggets at Toyota Center.
However, there is one young player whom the Rockets are keeping off the table.
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported in April that Houston “has made it known to other front offices” that two-way stud Amen Thompson is “considered untouchable.”
Thompson is already an NBA All-Defensive First Team player just in his second year.
Thompson, an Oakland native, was the Rockets’ best player in their first-round loss to his hometown team Golden State Warriors.
Over the final four games of the series, Thompson averaged 20.0 points on 54.7% shooting, 7.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals.
His performance drew massive praise from Warriors star Stephen Curry.
“You kind of saw him develop in front of everybody’s eyes,” Curry told reporters after eliminating the Rockets. “He’s a dawg. He showed that in all seven games, and he’s gonna be a problem, for sure… Defensively, he’s a freak athlete, and I think he loves the challenge and loves to be in the fight.”
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