The Houston Rockets have made a picks trade with the Brooklyn Nets in the hope of trading for Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported.
The Rockets received rights to the Suns’ 2027 first-rounder, which Wojnarowski reported would make it “easier” for Houston to trade for Durant.
“Suns have said they’re keeping Durant for now, but that could change next season,” Wojnarowski wrote. “But now, Houston has the picks to make the Suns whole again.”
The Nets received their 2026 first-round pick, previously owed to the Rockets, back as part of the deal.
The Rockets also acquired the right to swap their 2025 first-round pick, which currently belongs either to Houston or the Oklahoma City Thunder, for the Suns’ 2025 first-rounder, Wojnarowski reported.
The team gives up their right to swap for the Nets’ 2025 first-rounder as part of the deal.
Houston also earned the more favorable of the Suns’ and Mavericks’ first-round picks in 2029, as well as the right to swap their own first-round pick for the less favorable of the set, per Wojnarowski.
With the chance of controlling the Suns’ 2025, 2027 and 2029 picks, the Rockets have now earned back some of the draft capital that the Suns sent to Brooklyn as part of their trade for Durant in 2023.
However, Wojnarowski noted that Houston isn’t completely set on using these picks to trade for Durant, who currently has two seasons remaining on his deal with the Suns.
“As intrigued as the Rockets have been about Durant, they’re determined to use the Suns picks to be aggressive on deals elsewhere now,” Wojnarowski wrote.
The Rockets could still potentially use the picks to make a deal with the Suns, even if they don’t pursue Durant. Wojnarowski noted that Houston is “in prime position” to make a bid for Phoenix guard Devin Booker.
Durant is heading into his age-36 campaign, but remains a trade target after averaging 27.1 points in 75 starts last season. The Suns will need to decide whether to capitalize on that value, or to run things back with their core trio of Durant, Booker and Bradley Beal.