Replica of the 2019 Raptors glory - the Rockets really need Kevin Durant to win the championship

The 2025 NBA Finals have not ended yet, and the Thunder and Pacers tied 2-2, and it is still unknown who will win. However, there will be another big move in the trading market. The famous reporter Sam Amick of The Athletic, Timberwolves reporter Jon Krawczynski and Rockets reporter Kelly Iko revealed that Durant regards the Spurs and the Rockets as the next ones he prioritizes trading.

Everyone knows that Durant has only one last year left in the contract, and his salary is about $54.71 million. Due to the restrictions of the 38-year-old rule, he will only renew his contract for two years. If he stays in the Suns, he can renew his contract for two years and $124 million. If he is traded, the new team can give him a $111 million contract for two years, which is a bit similar to Butler and the Warriors.

This season, 36-year-old Durant played 62 regular season games with the Suns, with an average of 36.5 minutes per game, scoring 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.2 blocks, with shooting, three-pointers and free throw shooting percentages reaching 52.7%, 43.0% and 83.9% respectively. This data is still impressive. He is still the top star in the NBA.

According to ESPN famous reporter Shams, the Rockets have renewed their contract with center Steven Adams in advance, with a new contract of $39 million for three years. Adams has always had a good reputation in the league. He is good at protecting baskets, blocking positions, and grabbing rebounds. His screening quality is also high, and he is particularly dedicated on the court. This season, its offensive rebounding rate reached 21.8%, exceeding Rodman's 20.8% in the 1994-95 season and Drummond's 21.5% in the 2023-24 season, setting an NBA record. In the regular season, he played 58 games for the Rockets, with an average of 13.7 minutes per game, scoring 3.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists; he played 7 times in the playoffs, with an average of 22.1 minutes per game, and was able to score 5.7 points and 6.6 rebounds.

The Rockets left this rebounding machine, cover the king, and super good teammate. The depth of the lineup was maintained, but it was not enough to win the championship. This season, he scored the second place in the Western Conference, but was blacked out of the seventh place by the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. The team's ability to attack at critical moments is still insufficient, which is a shortcoming that has been strengthened in this summer's offseason.

In my opinion, if the Rockets can get Durant, they will really be as glorious as the Raptors in 2019 and compete for the championship. The Rockets' current lineup has potential, but there is only a big star like Durant to support the scene. Similar to the Raptors in 2019, it is only a poor ability to break the situation with an offense and defense forward. Just talking about center Adams, he really had a strong rebound, but he didn't score well. Jaylen Green, young players like her are motivated and have good talent, but their experience in playing key games and their ability to solve problems are still poor. Durant's scoring ability is the best in the league. If he comes, the Rockets' offense will have a strong point. When the game is in a stalemate, give Durant the ball to singles or organize it. Wouldn't the confidence in winning be much bigger all of a sudden? Besides, he has rich experience in the game and can help the Rockets grow up quickly and add the team's motivation to win the championship.

The competition in the Western Conference is very fierce, with the Warriors, Clippers, and Nuggets being extremely powerful, and the Thunder, Timberwolves and Grizzlies in the rising period; it is inevitable that the Suns will rebuild, and the Rockets must come up with something suitable, for example, young and potential players plus draft picks, so the Suns will of course be moved. The Rockets' young players, such as Whitmore and Jabbarry Smith Jr., are very talented and are very attractive to the future reconstruction of the Suns.

In addition, now popular stars in the league are joining together to compete for the championship. The Raptors used to exchange for Leonard, so why did they win the championship successfully? If the Rockets can get Durant and match it with the existing lineup, it will be enough to achieve seamless connection. If there are veterans Durant and Adams in the Rockets' lineup next season, plus a group of energetic young people, there will be almost no shortcomings; the starting lineup is Van Vleet, Jaylen Green, Amen Thompson, Durant and Shin Kyung, and there are also Adams and some of the talented seven players on the bench, so the Rockets can win the championship.