Houston Rockets’ Strategic Picks Trade with Brooklyn Nets
Reports from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reveal that the Houston Rockets have executed a strategic trade involving draft picks with the Brooklyn Nets, aiming to position themselves for a potential trade for Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant. The Rockets acquired the rights to the Suns’ 2027 first-round pick. Wojnarowski indicates this trade could simplify Houston’s efforts to trade for Durant, who remains under contract with the Suns for two more seasons. Despite the Suns’ current stance on retaining Durant, circumstances could shift next season, opening a possible trade window.
In return, the Nets reclaimed their 2026 first-round pick from the Rockets. Additionally, Houston secured the option to swap their 2025 first-round pick with the Suns, originally belonging either to Houston or the Oklahoma City Thunder. This deal also allowed Houston to keep the more advantageous of the Suns’ and Mavericks’ first-round picks in 2029 and the right to swap their own first-round pick for the less favorable one.
Houston’s acquisition of the Suns’ 2025, 2027, and 2029 picks replenishes some of the draft capital the Rockets lost to Brooklyn in the 2023 Durant trade. Although landing Durant remains a possibility, Wojnarowski suggests Houston might leverage these assets for other deals. The Rockets may also aim to trade for Suns’ guard Devin Booker, depending on future team strategies. With an aging Durant still averaging 27.1 points, Phoenix faces a decision: capitalize on his trade value or continue building around their core trio of Durant, Booker, and Bradley Beal.
