It is revealed that it is difficult for the Rockets and Suns to reach a Durant deal! NBA executives: Only Booker is interested in Houst

On May 12, Beijing time, Ben Dubose, a reporter of the Rockets, said on a podcast that it would be difficult to reach a deal for Durant between the team and the Suns. Previously, there were media reports that the Rockets were more interested in Booker than Durant.

"Everybody thinks the Suns are going to contact the Rockets for the simple reason that the Rockets have draft picks and on paper, the two sides fit well, but it's hard to make a deal," Dubose said. While no one can completely rule out a trade, it's hard to agree on trade value between the Suns' expectations, a reasonable offer for them, and the Rockets' willingness to pay for young players, draft pick assets, and chips to match Durant's salary of more than $50 million next season. ”

"The Rockets will definitely be probing and doing their due diligence, but they are confident in their existing core roster and team building plans. After all, Durant will be 37 years old next year, so while this deal sounds good, they will also evaluate it according to the process, and if the price is low enough, there may be a glimmer of possibility. But if the Suns open their mouths, the Rockets will definitely not rush to bid. ”

Previously, another Rockets team reporter Iko had taken stock of the team's potential offseason targets.

"With a young roster, great talent, plenty of draft picks, and an existing position in the league — a dynamic team on the rise — the Rockets will undoubtedly be the next big name this summer. Rockets management would have liked to go far in the playoffs, but also saw this season as an opportunity for data collection, which would be useful for evaluating now and in the future. In the coming weeks, stars such as Durant, Antetokounmpo, Zion and Booker will all be rumored to trade with the Rockets, and whether it is a good fit depends on where the Rockets are built. According to team sources, the Rockets will be closely monitoring the market dynamics and have internal discussions about potential trade partners and offers. ”

Back when the Rockets acquired a large number of future draft picks from the Suns, there were many reports that the Rockets were interested in pursuing Booker. At the beginning of 2025, Sports Illustrated reporter Mannix still said that the Rockets are interested in the Suns' all-time scoring leader. An NBA executive once told him, "The Rockets are not interested in anything unless it's about a Booker trade." However, Suns owner Ishbia has repeatedly stressed that Booker is not for sale for the Suns.

In the 2024-25 regular season, Booker played in 75 games for the Suns, averaging 25.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game, shooting 46.1% from the field, 33.2% from three-point range, and 89.4% from the free throw line. Durant played in 62 games for the Suns, averaging 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, shooting 52.7% from the field, 43% from three-point range and 83.9% from the free throw line. In terms of age, Durant is about 8 years older than Booker. Do you think the Rockets should chase Durant, Booker, or some other target? Feel free to leave a message to express your opinions.