The Houston Rockets have made a significant pick-centric trade with the Brooklyn Nets, positioning themselves for potential trades for a major star, including Phoenix Suns’ star forward Kevin Durant, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Trade Details
Houston’s deal with Brooklyn followed the Nets’ trade of Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks for a substantial package of first-round picks. The Knicks sent four unprotected first-round picks (2025, ’27, ’29, ’31), a 2025 protected pick from the Milwaukee Bucks, a 2028 pick swap, and a 2025 second-round pick to Brooklyn. In return, Houston gave Brooklyn back their 2026 first-round pick in exchange for a 2027 Suns first-round pick, a pick originally sent to the Rockets in the 2020–21 season as part of the James Harden trade.
Wojnarowski reports that Houston might use the newly acquired pick to pursue Durant by offering Phoenix’s own pick.
Further Details
Additional terms of the deal included Houston acquiring the more favorable 2029 first-round pick between Dallas and Phoenix and gaining the right to swap their first-round pick with the less favorable Dallas and Phoenix picks. Crucially, Houston relinquished the right to swap a Houston/OKC first-round pick for Brooklyn’s 2025 first-round pick, allowing the Nets control of their own pick as they enter a rebuild, particularly important for the talented 2025 draft.
Potential Roadblocks
Wojnarowski noted that while the Rockets have interest in Durant, the Suns prefer to retain him and move forward with their current core. This may prompt Houston to pursue another star player elsewhere in the league.
Rockets’ Ambitions
The Rockets showed significant progress in the 2023–24 season, finishing 41–41 and just missing the play-in tournament, a marked improvement after three consecutive losing seasons post-Harden trade. With a stockpile of valuable draft picks, Houston appears poised to make bold moves as the NBA offseason begins in earnest.
