Last summer, the Houston Rockets pulled off the blockbuster trade of the offseason, acquiring Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns, for the nominal outgoing package of Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green and the 10th pick of the 2025 NBA Draft. Houston has been at a near identical pace to last season’s team but is on pace to finish with right at 50 wins, which would be just two wins short of last season’s 52-win finish.
The fact that Houston is even on track to finish that close to last season’s Cinderella team
is a testament to Durant, as the team has been without three starters from last season’s starting five in Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks. Not to mention Steven Adams, who has been the key to Rockets coach Ime Udoka’s offensive strategy of getting additional high-percentage bites at the apple, by way of second-chance scoring opportunities.
Houston is clearly in need of more consistent, high-level play. Teams have found it rather easy to neutralize Durant by either double-teaming him at halfcourt or sending traps and blitzes at him. According to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, the Rockets could make a pursuit for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Mannix took to his signature Open Floor: SI’s NBA Show to elaborate on Houston’s potential summer plans.
“Look, the Giannis thing that’s out there. I know…I believe that they’re going to try to make a run at him in the offseason. So that looms.”
Mannix continued.
“I was up and down there a couple of times and I have talked to Rafael Stone about this and the front office people there, like they made a great deal for Durant. They didn’t give up all of their assets. They’ve still got a treasure trove of assets that they can use to make a deal. So, if they can make one more big swing, whether it’s Giannis or someone else, to get another player that fits the timeline of Kevin Durant, what they did this season was worth it.”
From a salary standpoint, an outgoing package of Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr. and Clint Capela would clear enough salary for the 31-year-old two-time MVP.
