Durant could be available if the Rockets exit the playoffs early?
The Houston Rockets brought in Kevin Durant last summer, believing he was the final piece of a championship run.
That has not played out the way they imagined, and the ripple effects could touch half the league this offseason.
Michael Pina of The Ringer recently laid out just how sideways things have gone for Houston and Durant this postseason, while also noting how wide the trade market could get this summer.
Pina did not hold back on where things stand.
"The Rockets thought that KD was their missing piece, and instead, there's a chance they'll turn him into a stepping stone this summer," Pina wrote. "It turns out that your best player shouldn't also be a mercenary."
Pina listed more than 20 teams with some level of interest in Durant depending on how the rest of these playoffs go, and the Los Angeles Clippers were among them.
Why the Clippers Want Him
The Clippers finished the 2025-26 regular season at 42-40 and got knocked out by the Golden State Warriors in the play-in tournament.
It was another year that ended earlier than planned after a turbulent season that saw them trade both James Harden and Ivica Zubac at the deadline.
President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank has already said the front office plans to add a significant piece this offseason.
Kawhi Leonard played 65 games and averaged a career-high 27.9 points along with 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting 50.5 percent from the field.
He is entering the final year of his deal at $50.3 million, and reports suggest he has no interest in leaving.
But the front office wants to give him a reason to stay, and pairing him with Durant would immediately make this team look very different.
Darius Garland averaged 18.8 points and 6.7 assists after arriving from Cleveland at the deadline, which means the Clippers would already have a three-headed attack if they pulled this off.
What It Would Cost
The Clippers have real flexibility heading into the summer.
Only seven players are under contract for next season, and the team holds four tradeable first-round picks that could be packaged in a deal.
The conditional 2026 first from Indiana could land in the top six of a loaded draft class, which would make it especially attractive to a team looking to rebuild.
Bennedict Mathurin, who arrived at the deadline from Indiana, could also be part of a package alongside those picks if a deal started to take shape.
Where Things Stand for Durant
Kevin Durant averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists for Houston in the regular season while shooting 52.0 percent from the field across 78 games.
The Rockets went 52-30 and earned the fifth seed, but they trail the Los Angeles Lakers 3-1 in the first round after dropping three of the first four games.
Durant missed Game 1 with a knee injury and has not looked right since coming back, posting a career playoff-high nine turnovers in Game 2.
Houston gave up Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and multiple draft picks to get Durant from Phoenix last June, and the returns have been mixed at best.
The Clippers are one of many teams watching closely as the summer approaches.
If the Rockets decide to move on, the Clippers have the picks and the motivation to make a serious push.