Rumor Opens Door to Monster Kevin Durant for Jimmy Butler Trade This Summer
· Yahoo Sports
Recent reports continue to clear the path for a monster trade that sees Kevin Durant return to the Golden State Warriors and Jimmy Butler head to the Houston Rockets.
On Friday night, the Rockets saw their promising season come to a very disappointing end in a Game 6 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs. Making their elimination all the more maddening is that they could not beat a Lakers team that did not have Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves for much of the series.
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Yet, it should not come as a total shock. Something seemed off with the Rockets team for months. And it all seemed to start with the All-Star Weekend drama over speculation that Durant had a burner X account where he mocked his Houston teammates.
Most assumed it was a silly situation that would be quickly forgotten in the locker room. However, a new report from William Guillory and Sam Amick of The Athletic adds to the discourse that the All-Star Game allegations were a problem in the locker room and festered because they were never formally addressed by the future Hall of Famer.
“Several league sources with close ties to Rockets players indicated the social media situation was a significant distraction, one that was never truly resolved internally,” the report reveals. “… Privately, league sources said [Durant’s] teammates agreed to keep the matter in-house while focusing on basketball. It is unclear whether Durant ever clarified to his teammates whether the account belonged to him.”
Should the Houston Rockets consider trading Kevin Durant this summer?
Troy Taormina-Imagn ImagesIt all begs the question: Should the Rockets trade Durant this summer since he seems like a bad mix on a team that was on a big upward surge before he arrived a year ago? Guillory and Amick’s report offers reasons why it is unlikely. He gave them a discount on an extension and chose to come to Houston. Furthermore, maybe the Rockets always had a ceiling when Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams suffered season-ending injuries.
Nevertheless, there have been major body language issues with this group for months, and they never came close to reaching the potential most basketball pundits expected. A divorce instead of running it back might make sense before things get worse. But where could the Rockets send Durant, and what could they get back?
Why a Kevin Durant for Jimmy Butler trade makes sense
Kelley L Cox-Imagn ImagesThe danger in moving Durant is that Houston gave up so much to get him. Can they actually get equal value to chase a title in 2026-27? That limits the options significantly, but leaves one intriguing idea. Trading Durant to the Warriors for Jimmy Butler.
It’s well established that the Warriors have yearned for a reunion with Durant after the 16-time All-Star helped lead them three straight Finals trips — two wins — during his three seasons in California. The team has been superstar hunting for the last two years and bringing back the devil they know instead of the devil they don’t makes sense.
Furthermore, while Butler was good in Golden State, we know for a fact that Durant is a better fit there. Especially if coach Steve Kerr returns next season. Plus, a case could be made that Butler would be a better fit in Houston under Ime Udoka. A defensive-minded coach like Erik Spoelstra, and Butler was fantastic with him in Miami.
The biggest issue is that the soon-to-be 37-year-old is trying to return from a torn ACL. It would be understandable if the Rockets were not interested in possibly having two veterans coming off ACL tears (VanVleet) next season. But matching the money in a trade is far easier in a Durant for Butler swap than most potential deals.
If Golden State were willing to throw in a future first-round pick to sweeten the pot, it would be an offer Houston must seriously consider. Lineups of Kristaps Porzingis, Draymond Green, Durant, Stephen Curry, and Brandin Podziemski for the Warriors, and Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Butler, Amen Thompson, and VanVleet do seem pretty good.
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