Are rockets the best place for Kevin Durant? Rating 3 other options

Melissa Rohl

Fox Sports NBA Vriter

They were Houstin rockets indeed the best place to land for Kevin Durant?

Since he leaves Golden State Warriors In the free agency in 2019. Durant did not pass next to the second round of the playoffs during its stipes with Brooklyn Networks (2019-2023) or Phoenix Suns (2023-2025) Despite the former team, which has a complex list with Durant, Kirie Irving and James Harden and the latter which has Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

The NBA is most fun when its biggest stars play meaningful basketball. Both Lebron James and Stephen Curri are now in situations where they can compete for the title, with James that team up Luka Doncic on a Los Angeles Lakers A team that was eliminated in the first round of playoffs and currs that now plays together with Jimmy Butler, who advanced in the second round before the season stopped in the middle of the injury to Curri.

Durant was a big domino who was supposed to fall. Recently, his sun ended 11. In the Western Conference, the playoffs are missing at all.

On Sunday, Durant’s future and landscape of the NBA moved when the Superstar was trading on the newspaper of Houston, which was insured by news of the New History, because NBA-ABA merging at the beginning of the NBA-ABA -7 season.

Of course, the rockets could be candidates next season with the Durant that join the team that has Altereren Sengun, Amen Thompson, Fred Vanvleet and Jabari Smith Jr. The rockets ended up with other best records in the last season before the golden state has eliminated the golden state in the first round of playoffs. Have a trant on their poster, they will surely make them set for deeper postseason.

But was that the best option actually Durant? Is this moment of Aha hoping? Does this feel good?

Things could look very different for Durant.

After all, he is a caboshot agreement that would send it to the golden state within February. And reportedly did not have many interest in joining Minnesota Timbervolveswho were among their top pursuits. Durant was willing to go to Houston, San Antonio or Miami, but like this two teams apparently did not compile sufficient attractive trade packages for Phoenix.

36-year-old Durant deserves to play for a competition. And we deserve to watch 15-time All-Star, which is widely considered the greatest shooters all the time, shining during the remaining time left in the league.

Here’s a look at a few things – if the scenarios had different.

Should Durant join the golden state again?

(Photo: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)

When Durant left Oklahoma City to enter the golden situation in the 2016 free agency, he immediately became negative. It’s a title that never wanted. He cut for a long time on the rollered narratives around the superstar.

If a player does not win the championship, his legacy calls into question. If a player join the Superteteam, he is a bendwagoner who will have a star forever in addition to any title that wins. If a player leaves the Superteteam, he is stupid. No victory.

Durant went from a loved dear league that won the MVP with Thunder 2014. years and tug on the heart’s lovers while taking her mother during his award, to become someone who made fun of as a treacherous formation of superteap with Curri, Klai Thompson and Draimond Green.

During his time with warriors, he became two-way champions in 2017 and 2018. and the MVP finals were appointed. But he became cautious about whether he could win the Curri’s title, his relationship at the end of the Achill Tendon at the game 5. Finals 2019. years, he decided to leave a golden state in a free agency to join Brooklyn.

Since Durant left the warriors, he fought. His networks, which were expected to compete for the championship, are considered one of the most advanced teams in NBA history. And the sun could never understand things despite her superstar Born.

Durant tried to argue things with the sun, hoping things will turn. When Pandits speculate that he was dissatisfied in Phoenica in 2024. year, he set up a record directly, telling me“I don’t want to trade.” But the sun set it on last February, when they negotiated an agreement that would send him back to the golden state within trade.

Durant was Vetoo, wanting to finish the sun season before re-examining his future. But was that a real call?

The years passed of all drama warriors and things could be different this time. At this stage in Durant’s career, they are born warriors prefer more like poetic symmetry from betrayal.

And it could have been working.

Durant, Curri and green are more mature and as they approach the sunset career, they deeply understand how hard it is to win the championship. Together, they could put it all in order for yourself – and each other.

Curri, as Durant, did not slow down in 37 years. And Durant and green buried the ax, and Durant even appeared on a green podcast.

Trio would be much older, but they were undoubtedly still terrible.

The thing is that Durant has never had regrets for his decision to leave warriors, even after winning their fourth championship in 2022. years, while his networks kicked out of the first round of the playoffs.

“Hell, no,” Durant told me in April 2023. years. “I don’t regret what I do anything.”

And now Durant, he clearly wanted to be looking forward to backwards.

While green jumping the opportunity to join the team, Durant claimed to be intended for a trade because of his time, not the destination, adding that he did not want to leave the sunshine.

Green is not surprised by Durant chained trade.

“No, at all,” He told me in February“Everything makes sense in the world.”

The Coach of the Warrior Steve Kerr has waived that feeling.

“I don’t blame Kevin one bite I don’t want to ask here things” ” Kerr said ESPN. “He took so much with …” Oh, you jump on the Bendwagon “. And then the Finals MVP for two years in a row. It’s like still criticizing. … so why would he be criticized.

Although Durant’s decision was understandable, it could be sad.

It would be really cool if Durant, Curri and Green finished career together. And the truth is that they could be really good.

Should the District Join Timbervolves?

(Photo by Kelsei Grant / Getty Images)

Love and respect for permanent and Anthony Edwards is tangible.

I was recently looking for a Durant that brings the best in it. “I’d say ant,” Durant told me in January. “Just because of his energy every day. The pace that plays at the pace to which it is forward. S – – to speak. He gives all energy.”

When I asked Edwards that he was surprised that Durant appointed him instead of, say, James or Curri, a continuous 23-year-old did not hesitate him.

“He tells the truth,” Edwards told me. “It’s like my big brother, man. I love xd. He’s my favorite player of all time, so I certainly appreciate it.”

Chemistry is so much of what makes a team great. So many superteap didn’t work, something knows too well. (Read: His stall in Brooklyn and Phoenix.) The X-factor is or not there or not.

With Durant and Edward, it is hard to imagine that the duo will be anything extra extremely. They love each other. Push each other. Edwards deeply divorced Durant. Durant feeds from that love.

Edwards even asked narrative that Durant was not a good leader, telling me, “I think it’s bulls – t.”

This is certainly safe: they would be practically unstoppable in the field, a fruitful scoring duo that would give the defense.

Durant is on average in three straight season in three raven seasons in three ravens, in three straight season, in three straight season, for example of ESPN research. Edwards, a two-way star, which is often used to young Michael Jordan, on average career in points (27.6) and percentage of 3-point (39.5%) during the carrying wooden jointed in their second right of the Western Conference.

Timbervolves could put together an attractive package to get Durant including potentially work Rudi Gobert or Julius Randle.

But Durant wasn’t interested in going to Minnesota.

Was that a mistake?

What if Durant landed in San Antonio?

(Photo Jari Pestelacci / Euroasia Sports Images / Getty Images)

Now the player can only control as trade, including Durant’s caliber player, which commands a huge amount of respect and whose desire will be honored as much as possible.

San Antonio was among Durant’s top types, an exciting perspective for basketball fans that can only imagine how much fun team it would be with Durant, Victor Vembaniama and De’aaron Fox.

It was organized that going to San Antonio gave his best opportunity to get his third championship.

The Spur He would have elite protection against bale, scoring and renewal.

And if the agreement was concluded, it would revive not only Durant’s career, but also Spurs, who won five championships and we made 22-direct players before they missed postsesons in the last six seasons.

But Spurs apparently wanted to focus on building around Vembania and Fox using their current rosters and their drafts.

San Antonio is the owner of 2 and no. 14 chooses in NBA draft on Wednesday and have novice a year in Stephon Castle.

However, Durant, Vembaniam and Fox would be an exciting trio.

But, Wow, Durant landed in Houston, not a golden state, Minnesota or San Antonio.

And now we have to wait for us to see if it can transform what is seemingly less common destination to a place that can accept his career.

Melissa Rohlin is a writer of NBA for Fox Sports. She has previously covered the league for illustrated sports, the Los Angeles Times, news about the flow in the Gulf San Antonio Express-West. Follow it on Twitter @Melissarohl.