Houston Rockets interested in Kevin Durant and Devin Booker

The Phoenix Suns had lofty expectations after pairing Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. They severely underachieved as they were swept in the first round of the postseason. The Houston Rockets are prepared to be aggressive if the front office makes either Durant or Booker available.

After the franchised acquired up to three Suns first-round picks in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets, ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported:

The Rockets position themselves to be aggressive in future trade scenarios with the Suns should that franchise need to disassemble. For now, the Suns plan to keep trying to win with Durant and Devin Booker.

But the Rockets acquiring those Phoenix picks gives them an inside track on a possible deal should a Suns star — particularly Booker, who is 27 years old and on the Rockets’ timeline — become available. Durant could become a possibility too. [h/t ESPN]

The Rockets now holds Phoenix’s 2027 first-round pick, while owning swaps for their 2025 and 2029 first-round picks. While the Suns have not shown interest in breaking up their roster, Houston is in a position to strike if things change.

Mar 20, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) and Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) look on against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Rockets are not alone in pursuit of Kevin Durant

While the Phoenix Suns have not made Kevin Durant available, the Houston Rockets are not the only team interested in the 14-time All-Star. Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson reported that the Chicago Bulls and Dallas Mavericks could also target the superstar, tweeting:

In addition to the Rockets, Dallas and Chicago also have some level of interest in Kevin Durant, I’m hearing.

In addition to the Rockets, Dallas and Chicago also have some level of interest in Kevin Durant, I’m hearing.

— 👑 Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson (@ScoopB) June 26, 2024

The interest in Durant should come as no surprise as he continued to play at a very high level in the 17th season of his career. He averaged 27.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.2 blocks per game in 2023-24. The Suns star shot 52.3% from the field, 41.3% from three-point range and 85.6% from the free-throw line.

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