1 Player the Rockets must not give up in Kevin Durant deal

The Houston Rockets may trade for Kevin Durant. They may not.

Groundbreaking stuff, right?

Jokes aside, the team's intentions are unclear. The latest reporting suggests that Houston has made "a firm offer" per The Athletic's Kelly Iko. That's got fans speculating.

Deductive reasoning suggests that Jalen Green and the Suns' 10th overall pick are on the table. Given Green's progress (or lack thereof) throughout his career so far, it's understandable if that's an underwhelming offer for the future Hall of Famer.

If the Rockets really want Durant, they could marginally increase their offer. One of the Suns' future picks could get the deal done. That said, there's another young player who's been suggested in hypothetical packages:

The Rockets should keep him in any negotiations.

Rockets shouldn't part with a quality young wing

Let's be honest: As disappointing as Green has been, Jabari Smith Jr. hasn't taken the NBA by storm either. Some Rockets fans won't mind including him in a package for Kevin Durant.

That's understandable. Smith Jr.'s star potential feels relatively low. He was the third overall pick, but he may not be as productive of an NBA player as most fans hope to land in that draft spot.

That's not the measure Smith Jr. should be judged by. It's not a reasonable measure for any NBA player. These guys don't dictate where they're drafted. Smith Jr. is going to be a useful NBA player:

At times, he already has been.

Rockets should see Smith Jr.'s value

Let's recall the Rockets' first-round loss to the Warriors this year. Smith Jr. shot 45.5% on 3.1 three-point attempts per game.

It reminded us of how we viewed Smith Jr. as a prospect. He's a 6'11" combo big who can defend in space and shoot the lights out. Even if he never develops as an offensive creator, that's a highly valuable player.

Sure, Smith Jr. is shooting 34.0% from deep throughout his career so far. Let's filter out a dreadful 30.7% mark as a rookie. Across his last two seasons, Smith Jr. is shooting 35.8% from long range.

There's room for improvement there, but it's already a solid mark for a player who can man the 5 when necessary. Smith Jr. gives the Rockets lineup versatility that they don't otherwise have. He can provide them five-out spacing or jumbo lineups when he's at the 3 alongside Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams.

There are concerns about his next contract. Perhaps the Rockets are worried about negotiations. It's not that Smith Jr. should be untouchable, but moving him for a 37-year-old feels egregious. The appeal of landing Durant should be that, since the Rockets own several Phoenix picks, they can get him without giving up anything else of particular value:

Smith Jr. doesn't meet that criterion.