Rockets' next move after trading for Kevin Durant is crystal clear

The Houston Rockets have acquired Kevin Durant.

Months (years?) of speculation. An endless parade of jersey swaps. Different permutations of deals. Now it's official. Jalen Green is heading to Phoenix, and Durant is en route to Space City.

So far, the deal is being met with universal praise. The Rockets gave up a struggling young player, a solid veteran, and minimal draft capital for an all-time great player. That said, there was rotational implications here. Whether you liked Green or not, he was a starter:

Who's the Rockets' starting off-guard now?

Rockets must replace Green as a starter

Every other position in the starting lineup should be solidified. Alperen Sengun, Durant, Amen Thompson and Fred VanVleet will round out the opening five. Still, there's a gap at the second guard spot.

Before we talk about options, let's talk about non-options. Nobody on the Rockets' current roster is equipped for the job. Cam Whitmore needs to prove that he can play a winning brand of basketball before he can be trusted to start alongside a team that's firmly in win-now mode. Reed Sheppard may be too much of a defensive liability to start at the 1, let alone scale up a position.

Aaron Holiday isn't officially on the roster, but even if he's brought back, he's too short. So, the Rockets will have to seek an outside hire.

Luckily, there should be options available.

Rockets can find their next off-guard

The Rockets don't need an elite shot creator at the position. That's why they grabbed Durant. Someone who can put the ball on the floor would be useful, but above all else, the Rockets need shooting and/or defense at the 2 next year.

A look at upcoming free agents reveals no shortage of solid options. Guys like Alec Burks, Bruce Brown, and Malcolm Brogdon are all set to hit the market.

That said, they may be out of Houston's price range. If so, another trade could be in the works. Players like Terrance Mann, Sam Merrill, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and John Konchar could all be options.

It's hard to say what direction the Rockets will take. We know they love defensive players, but we also know how badly they need shooting. Adding Durant helps, but Brooks was their best three-point shooter last year - the Rockets should prioritize another shooter. Unfortunately, players that both shoot and defend tend to be expensive.

That could make an option like Mann or Konchar appealing. They're not elite defenders, but with plus positional size, they can be integrated into Ime Udoka's scheme. Whatever direction the Rockets take, they should be a better team in 2025-26:

Acquiring Kevin Durant virtually guarantees it.