Genius Kevin Durant trade might be the Rockets only lifeline

The Rockets will inevitably see themselves in a lot of trade proposals as they enter an uncertain offseason. One controversial but wise move would be moving Kevin Durant in favor of a younger rebuild, and perhaps no team is better equipped to help than the Clippers. In return, Los Angeles can offer a package centered around the No. 5 pick in this year's draft to give the Rockets a shot at an incoming young star.

The Rockets can find their future star guard in the draft

With this trade, the Rockets could complete their young core by finding a star point guard in the draft. Their options would be plentiful in a deep draft with a lot of guard talent beyond the consensus top 4 picks. After last season's failed point guard experiments with Fred VanVleet sidelined, the Rockets have realized they need to find a long-term solution to lead their offense.

Getting the No. 5 overall pick will give the Rockets their pick among multiple strong point guard prospects. At the top of that list should be Kingston Flemings coming off an All-American season for the nearby University of Houston. Flemings showed strong point guard instincts in every aspect of the game during his freshman season - he was solid as a driver, shooter, playmaker and even defender.

Flemings would give the Rockets a lot of advantages going forward. Not only does he provide immediate impact as a floor general and playmaker, but he could also develop into a dominant NBA scorer in the future. The Rockets might be able to get star-level impact from him on a much cheaper contract than they would need to pay a top guard elsewhere.

Obviously, Flemings or any other top guard pick will align much better age-wise with Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson than most star guards available for trade this offseason. The top guards in the draft pool are either 19 or 20 years old, while both Sengun and Thompson are 23. Adding one of those guards into their young core could be a recipe for sustainable long-term success in Houston.

The trade makes sense for both sides

Giving up Durant is a huge price to pay, but the Rockets need to pay it if they want to secure a blue-chip prospect. On the other hand, the Clippers could be eager to make this trade and add another superstar next to Kawhi Leonard. Since they already have Leonard on the books, the Clippers might be motivated to build a title contender at all costs.

Another added benefit for the Clippers would be dumping some unfavorable contracts onto the Rockets. But those same players can also provide some on-court value in Houston while they develop young pieces.

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