As the future Hall of Famer nears age 38, past blockbuster deals and Houston's mounting assets reveal the massive haul required to land basketball’s most lethal scorer.
Just under a year ago, Kevin Durant was traded for the third time in his career. He’s now played for five teams, being named an All-Star and All-NBA player at each stop. It’s no surprise that teams are still bringing in a 38 year old to start next season.
While I haven’t personally liked many of the Houston Rockets’ trade options this offseason, regardless of whether or not Durant is involved, I still think it’s important to see what a KD trade would look like. What is his value at this point in time?
I don’t think looking at his departure from the Golden State Warriors will help us much, as 2019 seems like a lifetime ago in the NBA. He had just torn his Achilles after back to back Finals MVP seasons with the most hated team ever, and it was technically a sign-and-trade anyways. He chose to go to the Brooklyn Nets.
That part of the equation seems to stay consistent though. Understandably so, the future Hall of Famer always has a say in where he’s going. This remained true as he came back to the Western Conference in 2023.
After seeing the Phoenix Suns make the Finals in 2021, then playing alongside Devin Booker in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the two reportedly formed a relationship. This played a big role in Durant’s desire to go to the desert, and he’d get there.
KD was swapped for Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, four first round draft picks, and a 2028 first round swap. Ironically enough, many of those picks are back in Houston’s possession after separate trades were made to right Brooklyn’s wrongs on the Harden trade.
Regardless, this trade is a fairly accurate representation of where I think Durant’s value is almost four years later. Two really solid role players and a plethora of picks. Rafael Stone made the same kind of deal to bring him to Houston.
The initial trade was reportedly for Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, and a handful of picks, but that deal ultimately kept expanding. With seven teams involved, it was literally the biggest trade in league history, according to the NBA.
Dillon Brooks was a key piece in bringing Houston back to the playoffs and completely rebuilt his image and value with the Rockets. Dare I say he was even liked by fans outside of Phoenix this season?
Jalen Green had a difficult season, dealing with injuries for the first time in his career. That was really unfortunate to see, but I think we all still know the talent he has as a former second overall pick.
Those two, plus the picks Phoenix received is definitely nothing to sneeze at. And once again, the Rockets were reportedly Durant’s preferred team. So him having a well-known preference seemingly doesn’t limit what teams get in return. That’s something to keep in mind.
If the KD trade talks happen to keep heating up this summer, I don’t think fans would be happy unless they get a similar return. Two really solid players who will contribute and remain valuable for years to come, plus a handful of future draft picks. And that’s the bare minimum.
