Kevin Durant trade: Cases for, against Rockets, Spurs, more acquiring Suns star

When a superstar like Kevin Durant is attainable via trade, one would expect a frenzy of interested suitors. But it's complicated.

On the one hand, Durant, an 11-time All-NBA honoree, averaged 26.6 points per game, while shooting 52.7/43.0/83.9 in 62 games this season with the Phoenix Suns; he missed time due to calf and ankle injuries. On the other hand, Durant, who will be 37 at the start of next season, is entering the final year of a four-year, $194.2 million deal. It's a balance of whether Durant can get a team over the hump in the next two seasons and if it's worth giving up a massive trade package and likely a new max contract on top of it.

To date, the Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Minnesota Timberwolves, San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors are reported to have varying degrees of interest in acquiring Durant from the Suns.

Here are the cases for and against every Durant suitor acquiring him — with the teams mentioned in alphabetical order.

The Rockets were the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference this season. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Why they should do it: It's go time for the Rockets. Following a 41-41 campaign in Year 1 with head coach Ime Udoka — which was a 19-win jump from the 2022-23 season — Houston won 52 games and claimed the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference this season. But after a first-round exit at the hands of the Golden State Warriors, getting a proven No. 1 scorer is of the essence for the Rockets if they aspire to make a deep playoff run. Durant would be the No. 1 scorer that Houston needs, as his arrival would give them a proven, crunch-time isolation scorer who would take some pressure off Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun to make a jump. A defense that was sixth in the NBA in