It did not come as a shock that Kevin Durant was traded this offseason. It was hinted at basically throughout the regular season that he no longer wanted to play for the Suns. With the way the Suns played this past season as well, that didn’t surprise anyone. What has surprised many is the fact that Houston and Durant haven’t agreed yet on an extension. It is not like they got KD for cheap, either.
What Did Kevin Durant Cost the Rockets?
The Rockets essentially gave up on their young star player, Jalen Green, who had shown plenty of potential. Sure, he might have had an awful series against the Warriors in the first round, but that was his first time in the playoffs in his young career. You can’t knock him for that because plenty of star players have gone through the same issue that he had. Not to mention, they also played against one of the more experienced playoff teams in the NBA.
Green wasn’t the only one they gave up on; they also traded Dillon Brooks, who was probably their grittiest player on the team. It is important to have players like that on your team if you are trying to win. Players that will do the dirty work, get under opponents’ skin, and not back down from the moment.
Not only did they trade those two key pieces of their team, but they also traded the 10th overall pick in the draft. The Suns decided to go with Khaman Maluach to strengthen their big man rotation. The Rockets are clearly in win-now mode after this trade, but was all of this worth it if they only get Kevin Durant for just one season?
The Kevin Durant Trade Could Have Been a Mistake For Houston
The Rockets took a huge risk in making this trade. Many things could happen that would make people think that this trade was not the best idea for Houston. One possibility is that Durant could get hurt. He hasn’t been the most durable player, and he only continues to get older. Health always plays a big factor in everything, but if this were to happen and the Rockets were to get sent home early in the playoffs, then KD could just decide to play elsewhere in the next season.
The other possibility is that Green and Maluach blossom into something great for the Suns. They are both still young and have a bunch of potential, so anything is possible. A great deal is on the line this season if both Durant and Houston can’t agree on an extension. A trade like this that looked good from the outside could end up being a real letdown for the Rockets if things do not go as planned.
