Rockets Need to Keep Stars Off the Table in Potential Kevin Durant Trade

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Dec 27, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) greets Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) following the game at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images / Erik Williams-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets-Kevin Durant trade rumors are starting to heat up amid recent reports regarding the 36-year-old star's future with the Phoenix Suns. A blockbuster deal could go down as soon as this weekend, as the Suns look to move him before the 2025 NBA Draft.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, who recently went on the Pat McAfee Show, Phoenix could move Durant as soon as "the next few days." He also reported that the three favorites to land KD are the Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat, and Houston Rockets.

The Rockets have been linked to Durant since last offseason; however, the front office has been adamant about developing the young core. Teams have gutted pieces of their future for superstars in the past, with those moves coming back to bite them in the future.

However, Houston has a unique opportunity. The organization can trade future assets while still having plenty left over, thus not selling it all for Durant. The Rockets have so many young pieces and picks to spare that it wouldn't be an 'all-in' move. Houston has insurance if the move doesn't work out.

From a pure basketball standpoint, Durant is a clear fit for the Rockets. Although 36, he is still one of the best players in the world, having averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists this past season. He provides elite offense and three-point shooting, something the Rockets lacked for a good portion of the regular season as well as their first-round series against the Golden State Warriors.

If a move goes down between Houston and Phoenix, there have to be, and likely will be, clear parameters set by the Rockets. They have two players who, under any circumstances, cannot depart in such a trade. Those stars are Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson.

Sengun, who just made his first All-Star appearance at 22 years old, is already one of the league's best all-around offensive stars. He averaged 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists, helping Houston in every which way.

Thompson, who took an even bigger leap, made the NBA's All-Defensive First Team after a season averaging 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.3 blocks. He is the definition of a Swiss Army Knife, developing all parts of his game from his first to second NBA season.

Sengun and Thompson were such pivotal parts of Houston's leap to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference that they have to be considered untouchable in a Durant trade. With the future Hall-of-Famer potentially coming as the focal point of the offense, supplementing him with those two stars creates an all-around elite team for the future.