Durant for 1-for-8! Can the Rockets beat the Thunder?

After losing the first game in this year's playoffs, the Emperor tweeted: "The Rockets really need Durant against the Warriors!"

And now he’s here!

A 1-for-8 trade: Durant is traded to the Rockets.

The Suns get Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the 10th pick in 2025, and five second-round picks (including the Rockets' 59th pick in 2025, two second-round picks in 2026, a second-round pick from the Celtics in 2030, and a second-round pick from the Rockets in 2032).

Durant is eligible to sign a two-year, $120 million max contract with the Rockets.

However, he is well aware of the salary cap's impact on the team and seems willing to sign a non-max extension to help the Rockets continue upgrading their roster. As for what kind of contract he will receive, we’ll have to wait and see.

Despite being a 1-for-8 deal, I believe the cost for the Rockets to acquire KD is relatively low.

If you think it’s not worth it, I would argue that at 37, Liu Yifei is still Liu Yifei, not someone a "internet celebrity streamer" can easily compare to.

Don’t underestimate a used Rolls-Royce as if it’s not a Rolls-Royce.

Back then, the trade proposal between the Nets and the Suns was:

The Suns sent Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Crowder, four first-round picks, and a 2028 swap pick to the Nets in exchange for Durant and TJ Warren.

The four first-round picks at that time came from 2023, 2025, 2027, and 2029, all of which were unprotected.

If you think Phoenix should have received more, don’t forget that Durant is already 37.

His situation is different from Bane's.

Bane can still be traded, while the young coach might be getting married and starting a family in a couple of years... This logic is similar to transfer values in football; Messi and Ronaldo are undoubtedly great, but their market values won’t be high forever.

Therefore, in terms of what was given up, the Rockets can fully accept this deal.

The 10th pick and second-round picks are significant for rebuilding a team. However, the Rockets are currently a young team aiming for results, so selecting second-round picks isn’t particularly useful.

They haven't even fully developed high picks like Jabari and Shepard yet...

Surprisingly, they didn’t even have to give up Jabari Smith in the process, which I didn’t expect.

Jalen Green is definitely going to be included; he has been a disappointing performer despite the team investing so many resources in his development during the playoffs...

As for Dillon, it’s somewhat unfortunate, but he has to be included to balance the deal.

The main players in the playoffs are still intact, and the Rockets' current core lineup is:

Shen Gong, Durant, Amen, Smith, Old Fan, Adams, Eason, Whitmore, and very likely the third overall pick, Shepard, who will be developed next season.

A nine-man rotation is sufficient.

With KD's arrival, Rockets fans are very excited; having the second-best team in the West during the regular season and now acquiring the Grim Reaper, it’s understandable that there are such high expectations.

Interestingly, the old Thunder trio has all played for the Rockets... what a twist of fate in time.

那么，最后讲大伙最感兴趣的话题：以班上第一的选手为对标，Can the Rockets defeat the defending champion Thunder in the series next season?

If the Rockets make further adjustments, that’s another story, but with the current lineup, defeating OKC in the playoffs would still be incredibly challenging.

但可以确定的是，if KD had been on the team this season, the Rockets would have overcome the Warriors.(Too bad there’s no "if")

Everyone knows that the Rockets' biggest strength is defense, while their biggest weakness is scoring difficulties. The young coach’s one-on-one ability is among the best in the NBA.

With him, it’s like having a scorer who averages 25+ points without much effort; no one on the Rockets can match KD’s scoring precision.

Coming to Houston is also beneficial for the player; he won’t have to take on the parental role like in Phoenix because the Rockets have plenty of defensive specialists to support him.

However, if the goal is to achieve significant breakthroughs, the Rockets have some questions to address:

1. Amen was quite impressive in the playoffs; after experiencing the pressure, how much can his offensive skills, especially his shooting ability, improve?

2. From a roster perspective, the Rockets still have flaws.

Old Fan is not a true point guard; while he can shoot a couple of three-pointers, he’s not good at organizing the offense. Can the Rockets find a guard similar to Brogdon?

If they want to beat the Thunder, the Rockets' current offensive level may not be sufficient.

3. What other moves can be made in the trade market?

Currently, the team does not lack players on the wings and in the paint, but with Green and Dillon gone, the backcourt is still lacking. I don’t believe Shepard’s athleticism can support him in the playoffs.

4. Durant's physical condition.

Next season, he’ll be a year older.

How is Old A8's endurance really...

Therefore, it’s best to lower expectations for the Rockets.