1 Massive reason why the Rockets must avoid Kevin Durant trade

The Houston Rockets' current regime has made a habit of tying their destiny to another franchise.

So far, it's been an ingenious strategy.

First, it was the Nets. They sent the Rockets the third overall pick that they used to select Reed Sheppard. After sending the Nets (most) of their future back, the Rockets became tethered to the Suns.

So far, that's yielded one 10th overall pick. Some Rockets fans want to halt the gravy train this summer. They'd have the Rockets acquire Kevin Durant.

That could be a costly mistake.

Rockets shouldn't bail Suns out

Here's a question - if the Rockets don't acquire Durant, who will? The Athletic's Sam Amick isn't seeing a clear suitor.

“Unless the Nuggets come calling for Kevin Durant, I’m not really seeing exactly where the Kevin Durant landing spot is going to be.”

-Sam Amick, The Athletic

That's interesting. If the Nuggets went for Durant, they'd presumably send Michael Porter Jr., Zeke Nnaji, and whatever was necessary to make the money work. Ask yourself a question:

How many games do the Suns win this year with Porter Jr. and Nnaji in Durant's place?

Would the Nuggets include Christian Braun? It's possible, but it's doubtful. He's an intriguing young player who factors into the team's future, and Durant is entering his age-37 season.

The Suns' prospects are bleak. Durant is old. If the Rockets acquire him, they'll be bailing the Suns out of a tough position.

Why would they do that?

Rockets should maximize return on Suns picks

Sure, Durant would make the Rockets significantly better in 2025-26. The odds of him elevating them to a title run feel slim. Why mortgage such valuable future assets to potentially make a Conference Finals run?

There are better ways to use these invaluable assets. If the Rockets are truly interested in Giannis Antetokounmpo, they could sell the Bucks on the value of these picks. That could help them acquire the superstar wing while giving up less than it would otherwise take.

Alternatively, they could simply keep the picks. The Rockets are already competitive. Nobody (sane) has scouted as far ahead of where these picks will land. What if the Rockets make a series of (sometimes deep) playoff runs up to 2029, when they land the number one pick and draft a generational prospect?

The possibilities are endless. Simply flipping the picks to get Durant feels uninspired. The Suns are a sinking ship, and the Rockets shouldn't dedicate resources to helping their competitors stay afloat.

They should let them sink, and plunder the ship afterward.