The Houston Rockets made Ime Udoka one of the highest-paid coaches in the NBA this week by locking him up with a long-term extension after the New York Knicks expressed interest in interviewing him for their current coaching vacancy.
Now that Houston knows who will be leading the team on the sidelines for years to come, the franchise can now focus fully on what they intend to do to improve their already impressive roster this summer and build off of their success during the 2024-25 campaign.
Houston won the Southwest Division and clinched the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference with a roster full of young players who were not expected to contend at that high of a level this past year. Now, Rockets GM Rafael Stone is weighing the pros and cons of breaking up some of this young core to acquire a superstar.
Rockets Reportedly on the Verge of Blockbuster Kevin Durant Trade
ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania appeared on The Pat McAfee Show on Friday and discussed a wide range of topics across the association, including just where things stand with Houston's pursuit of future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant.
As you can see from the clip below, Charania reports that the Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Miami Heat are very close to meeting the demands of the Phoenix Suns when it comes to the type of return they expect for a player like Durant. Per Charania, Houston is "one or two pieces away" from a deal being agreed upon.
"The Suns have a price threshold that they want met in a trade for Kevin Durant and I had one team tell me today it's a game of chicken right now..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 19, 2025
The Rockets, Heat, and Timberwolves are literally one or two pieces away from getting a deal done"@ShamsCharania #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/LLns2g1B4C
Durant will turn 37 years old before the start of the 2025-26 campaign. Even though he is still one of the most dangerous scorers in the league, as proven by the 26.6 points per game he averaged on 53/42/84 shooting splits this past season, his best days are behind him.
The question Stone has to weigh is a relatively simple one. Is it worth shipping out young players and draft capital for one season of Durant at a price point of $54.7 million? Those who are hungry to contend for a championship now would likely say yes.
Stone, however, has to take a big picture look at the ramifications of a trade like this and what, potentially, a single season of Durant is worth compared to allowing the pieces in place to continue to mature and grow their respective games.
The Rockets have previously drawn a line in the sand when it comes to certain pieces of their young core. If Stone sticks to that stance, Houston's offer for Durant is unlikely to change. Whether that would be enough for Phoenix's front office to bite is anyone's guess, but any resolution here is likely to come ahead of next week's NBA Draft.