Painfully obvious reason Rockets should avoid Kevin Durant trade

The Houston Rockets should avoid making a trade for Kevin Durant because it would be smarter to wait and see if Giannis Antetokounmpo becomes available. Even if that day doesn’t come this summer, it’s worth the wait, as the Rockets will be a competitive team regardless of Durant’s presence in Houston.

Though the Suns’ asking price for Durant is reportedly lowering their asking price in a potential trade, the Rockets should be very careful what assets they give up in a deal. If a younger, more long-term solution (much like Antetokounmpo) becomes available, they need to be ready to strike.

Trading for a soon-to-be 37-year-old Durant would go against their current timeline.

What would a Kevin Durant Rockets trade look like?

The price of a Durant deal would all depend on what other teams around the league are currently offering. The San Antonio Spurs have young assets and top-tier draft picks, but they are supposedly hesitant to part ways with assets such as Stephon Castle and the No. 2 pick. That would leave No. 14 as one of the top prizes.

Here’s what a potential Rockets package could look like if the goal is to challenge the Spurs’ offers:

Rockets receive: Kevin Durant

Suns receive: Dillon Brooks, Reed Sheppard, Jock Landale, Aaron Holiday, No. 10 pick, Future first-round pick

That’s not an awful deal for the Rockets, but they would be giving up almost all of the salary-matching contracts they should be hoping to use in an even bigger trade. Durant is an incredible player, but he’ll be 37 years old for all of next season.

Houston’s current core is very young, and spending all of their best financial trade assets in a deal for an aging star is unwise. That’s why Antetokounmpo needs to be the top target.

What would a Giannis Antetokounmpo Rockets trade look like?

Antetokounmpo isn’t super young, either, but he’s still only 30 years old. That seven-year age difference is massive, especially considering the level Antetokounmpo is playing at right now.

Here’s what a Rockets trade for him could look like:

Rockets receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Bucks receive: Alperen Sengun, Tari Eason, Reed Sheppard, Jock Landale, Three future first-round picks

Sheppard and Landale’s salaries would be needed in a deal, and some of the future picks in the Durant and Antetokounmpo trades may overlap, too.

Adding Durant to this current Rockets core would be great, but it’s a much better idea for them to wait and see if the Milwaukee Bucks decide to make Antetokounmpo available (no matter how unlikely that may seem right now).