Rockets Sought Kevin Durant Trade By Dangling Former Top-5 Pick

Don't expect rumors of the Houston Rockets' interest in trading for Kevin Durant to disappear anytime soon.

Houston was recently "open" to sending former No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green to the valley in exchange for Durant, according to Ashish Mathur of Hoops Wire .

That report comes in the wake of previous intel from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that the Rockets hoped to acquire the future Hall of Famer after netting three of Phoenix's future first-round picks in a late June trade with the Brooklyn Nets.

It is important to note, however, that the Suns have no intention of moving Durant. Owner Mat Ishbia is intent on maximizing a championship window with Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal in Phoenix, poised to exhaust all available—not to mention lavishly expensive—team-building options before hitting reset on the roster.

But the Suns, whose optionality is extremely limited by spending into the second luxury tax apron, have failed to add a significant contributor during the offseason. Even if coach Mike Budenholzer really is a major upgrade on the sidelines, what realistic reason is there to believe Phoenix will compete toward the top of a loaded Western Conference in 2024–25?

Expect the vultures to continue circling the Suns next season and beyond, ready to pounce on Durant and Booker should Phoenix make them available.

The main question for Houston in that scenario isn't whether the Suns would pick up the phone, but if James Jones and company are intrigued by Green as the centerpiece of what would be a transformational trade for both franchises.

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