Suns owner gives massive hint about Rockets' future

The Houston Rockets' future is unclear. The Phoenix Suns' future is unclear as well. Yet, those two futures are closely intertwined.

The Rockets own several Suns first-round picks going into 2029. If you don't know that by now, welcome to SpaceCityScoop. For that matter, welcome to Rockets fandom. The dynamic between these two organizations is pivotal to the Rockets' plans.

The Suns are on a downward spiral in 2024-25. The Rockets are projected to get a low lottery pick from them this summer - unless, of course, they trade the pick back to Phoenix for Kevin Durant or Devin Booker.

It seems the latter option is off the table.

Booker seemingly won't be available to Rockets

Suns owner Matt Ishbia has formally stated that the Suns will "never" trade Devin Booker. Granted, NBA owners are often more bark than bite. This could be bluster. That said, Ishbia sounds firmly bound to his convictions.

"It's surprising to me that other people, other fans, they actually like the rebuild process"

-Matt Ishbia, Suns owner

It seems Ishbia is more inclined to retool around Booker. Durant may still be an option, but Rockets fans dreaming about the Suns' younger star in Space City may want to find a new dream.

They shouldn't be too upset, either.

Rockets don't need Devin Booker

Booker is a good player. He's not a franchise altering talent. He's also not so far ahead of Jalen Green that he'll be worth the assets needed to acquire him.

I recently wrote about the slim margin between the two. That margin has only gotten slimmer since. Booker's Box Plus/Minus (BPM) is 0.6, and Green's is 0.5.

BPM is not the gospel, but it is a useful indicator of a player's overall impact. Booker is better than Green, but again, here's the central point:

He's not three unprotected future first-round picks better.

Durant should be a more appealing option to the Rockets. At 36, he shouldn't be as costly as Booker. He also moves the needle further. This year's version of the Rockets would be lethal with a shot creator like Durant at their disposal.

Still, letting the Suns sink on their own terms may be the best move. They've struggled this badly with Durant on the roster in 2024-25. Who are they going to trade Durant for who's better than Durant? Let's say, for argument's sake, the Heat wanted Durant. How will the Suns perform in 2025-26 with Andrew Wiggins, Duncan Robinson and Jaime Jacquez Jr. in Durant's stead?

What happens if Booker does demand a trade, and the Rockets decline their overtures? The Suns may have no choice but to tank without their own picks. Now, the Rockets are likely to land a high pick.

There are no guarantees in the NBA. The Suns may find a way to right the ship, and this summer's pick will be the best pick they get. As it stands, these picks are juicy assets, and holding onto them is smarter than giving them up for a player who's not trajectory-altering in the first place.

That sounds like a very bright future.