The Phoenix Suns were unable to get a trade done when they shopped superstar Kevin Durant before the February trade deadline, but the team appears likely to ship Durant at some point this offseason.
One team that has been linked to Durant is the Houston Rockets. ESPN's Shams Charania reported last month before the Rockets' first-round loss to the Golden State Warriors that there has been a "mutual level of interest" between Durant and the Rockets. The Rockets are ready to win after finishing the regular season with the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, and Durant could potentially put them over the top by providing a veteran All-Star presence.
However, the interest might actually not be completely mutual between the Rockets and Durant. For one, The Athletic's Kelly Iko and Sam Amick reported Monday that previous talks between the Suns and Rockets were started by the Suns.
Iko and Amick added that though Durant is interested in joining Houston and he is viewed as the "most attainable" superstar the Rocket could acquire this offseason, the Rockets reportedly have concerns over his age. Durant is currently 36 years old, and will turn 37 before the start of next season. Houston has trepidations that Durant “would be out of sync” with the timeline for their younger team, per The Athletic’s report.
The average age of the Rockets is 26 years old, and they have only three players above the age of 30. Three core players on the team—Alfred Sengun, Jalen Green, and Amen Thompson—are all between 22 and 23 years old.
The Rockets don't appear to have ruled out the possibility of trading for Durant just yet, but if a trade to Houston doesn't happen, the age difference could end up being a determining factor.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Rockets Reportedly Have Key Concern About Potentially Acquiring Kevin Durant This Offseason.
