The Houston Rockets went into last season believing Kevin Durant could speed up their path to contention. Instead, the playoff run fizzled, and the first-round exit looked even rougher because the Lakers they faced never had Luka Doncic for the full seven-game series.
With the Rockets’ offseason coming off quieter than expected, the question lingers: is Durant still a true long-term fit there, or is it time to shake things up again? One hypothetical trade floating around this summer would do exactly that, and it brings Joel Embiid into the mix.
Durant, now 37, still puts up elite scoring numbers. But the conversation around him has shifted.
He’s no longer seen as the clear No. 1 option, and the mix of age and injury history keeps hanging over any team that builds around him. Embiid carries a different kind of uncertainty.
He won MVP a couple of years ago, but injuries have repeatedly slowed him down, even on a Sixers roster that is otherwise loaded.
The proposed deal would send Kevin Durant and Clint Capela to Philadelphia, while Houston would get Joel Embiid and two second-round picks, in 2027 and 2032.
For the Rockets, Embiid would reshape the frontcourt in a major way. Alperen Sengun would move back to power forward, a spot where he has had more success before.
It would also give Houston a starting group built on size and versatility. Amen Thompson would be at two, Jabari Smith Jr. would start again at three, and Sengun alongside Embiid would give the Rockets a huge lineup.
On the Sixers’ side, landing Durant would create its own lineup ripple. LeBron James could slide to power forward, where he has been playing very well in recent years. Or Philadelphia could go another direction entirely and start Durant at shooting guard, which would push VJ Edgecombe into a bench scoring role.
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Once that happened, the Lakers found their footing at the right time and moved past the Rockets in the playoffs before getting swept by the Thunder in the next round. James has since moved on in free agency, signing with the 76ers, but the stretch in Los Angeles served as a reminder of how quickly a contender can change when star roles are forced to evolve. [Read more 🡒]