The Houston Rockets have kept a low profile this offseason, bringing in only a handful of rotational additions in free agency while the bulk of last year’s roster stays intact. Even so, the rumor mill keeps circling back to Kevin Durant, with speculation lingering that Houston could still move him.
For now, though, there is no indication that Durant is actually being shopped. There have been no recent reports tying him to active trade talks, and with Rockets training camp only a few weeks away, the chances of a deal before next season look slim.
One theory behind the quiet market is that Durant simply no longer carries the same trade pull he once did. Heavy’s Sean Deveney argued that the 16-time All-Star has slipped from elite trade-target status in the eyes of many front offices.
“Seems that if the Rockets were going to trade Durant, they’d have done it by now. But Durant is not seen as a top-level commodity by many front offices, given the way his teams have underperformed since he left Golden State seven years ago. No one is eager to sign up for the burner-account nonsense, either.”
Durant’s team results since 2019 haven’t helped his case, but the story is more complicated than a simple lack of winning. His time with the Brooklyn Nets was clouded by injuries to James Harden and Kyrie Irving, while the Phoenix Suns never quite found the right rhythm together.
What Durant did in his first season with Houston still looks plenty strong. He put up 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists across 78 games, earning All-NBA Second Team honors and finishing in the top 10 in Clutch Player of the Year voting.
He also led the Rockets in scoring as they went 52-30. Houston’s playoff run ended in the first round, but Durant missed most of that series, which makes the broader evaluation of the experiment a little more complicated.
Add in the growth of Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson, and the Rockets’ decision gets even trickier. Moving Durant now could mean shutting the door on a championship window before the front office has really had the chance to judge what this group can become.
Unless another team puts together a seriously attractive offer, Houston has little reason to rush into anything. Based on what he just produced, Durant remains one of the NBA’s best offensive weapons.
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