Kevin Durant to be traded this offseason by Suns per Brian Windhorst

Durant to MIN would be another aggressive win now move by the Wolves. Would hope Rockets help facilitate this deal to acquire Naz Reid. This plus Jabari trade to Nets for Cam Johnson brings back 2 elite 3P shooters + should upgrade the 3P% + spacing which are the biggest culprits for Rockets offensive collapses in 4th.

 

So you're proposing rolling a 4th Q lineup of:
PG: FVV
SG: Green
C: Reid
PF: Johnson
SF: Thompson

With respect I don't think it accentuates what we have as well as it might...

 

I'd keep Alperen in that Q4 lineup. Sit whoever is cold between Fred + Jalen + Cam Johnson + Dillon.

Amen-Alp-Naz should be the best zone busters + whichever 2 are hottest from 3 in each game.

Both Naz + Cam Johnson are 41% 3P shooters + Dillon is almost 39% 3P this season.

 

Houston is in a place of strength with the pick like....we don't have to make the trade. We are a young team on the up and if they don't want their pick back for Durant oh well. We take the guy and see what we have and hold on to him if another team wants.

If another star breaks free...and it will happen, happens every year, we are in prime position for them.

 

He is too old to invest ANY assets at this time. If he was closer to 30 sure but he is ancient now by NBA standards and will be declining possibly very rapidly.

 

Yeah, not worth it anymore. I would’ve wanted him at the deadline, but not anymore.

 

I see no scenario where the Wolves are going to let Naz Reid go in a quest to acquire a 37 yo KD.

 

Makes me think of Timberlake in Social Network....

Know what's cooler than millionaire? Billionaire....

If you give up future assets you're giving up on opportunity to be a dynasty, settle to just be a contender....

 

It all depends on our playoff run.

 

Only if they have no choice and want to get something for him. He is a FA as soon as he declines his player option which he will surely do. The Wolves are a second apron team and are very limited in what they can do to improve. If somebody wants Naz they can pretty easily price the Wolves out of the picture. The question is whether he is worth near the 35M it will take to scare the Wolves off. The Wolves have Naz Reid, Julius Randall, Ant, and Gobert and are probably headed to the play-in. With Durant (or Kat for that matter), I think they would be solid playoff contenders like they were 1 year ago.

 

No wonder they didn’t win =P

 

Did you see a scenario for Wolves to trade KAT for Randle? And signing Naz to poison pill contract used to be a Rockets special.

 

KD is underrated defender.

 

He is so lazy on D - the entire Suns team don't give any effort on D at all.

DD

 

They gave up because their team was badly assembled- that's clear.

Time for another new coach.

 

I don't understand why they didn't trade KD and DBook for first round picks. They're delaying the process

 

They tried to deal KD. KD does not wanted to be dealt at midseason.

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiret...dseason-Nothing-Against-My-Time-With-Warriors

 

KD has indirectly said he doesn’t want to go to a young team which means he wants to be on a contender. With only one year left on his contract, the risk is high that anyone who trades for him is getting a one year rental and he’s likely to sign after that with who ever is closes to a ring.

Giving up what will likely be the 8th pick in this draft would seem a bit too much at this point, we’d also have to make the salaries work so FVV and fillers would have to be part of the trade. Don’t see how this helps Houston now or in the long run, the Rockets aren’t yet ready to contend and would only have one year to make it work with KD.

On the flip side, this is great for Houston if we don’t make a trade. We likely have the 8th pick and the Suns won’t be able to get back anything worth KD to help Booker win. We went from assuming we would have 3 Suns picks in the 20-30 range to now likely having 3 in the top 10 when we made this trade with the Nets. Hats off to Stone.

 

PHX -> 2025 1st Rd Pick (HOU)
MIN -> KD
HOU -> Naz (Player Option)

PHX gets (1) of their picks back.
MIN gets KD and doesn't lose Naz for nothing.
HOU gets Naz who at 25 yo fits timeline for an extension and fills a need.

The big keys here are,
1) if Randle opts in, which he is expected too, they are up against the 2nd apron again.
2) Naz opts out, also expected, what type of contract is he looking for. Could be 25-35 million AAV.

One additional option, if MIN resigns NAZ, they will lose Alexander-Walker. So offer them Cam and request their 1st rd this year (DET). HOU doesn't get KD or Naz but they pick up another 1st they can use in a summer trade package for different player or combine two 1sts to trade up if they like a player.