Ranking the 4 Superstars the Houston Rockets Have Been Linked To Recently

It seems like the Houston Rockets are the talk of the town.

Rumors are constantly flying that they are looking for a big-name star. At the same time, the Rockets seem willing to be patient. They are always rumored to be looking at a blockbuster, and somehow, they always end up making marginal moves.

Does this mean the Rockets won’t eventually trade for a superstar? We wouldn’t go that far. If this core group doesn’t seem destined to make the Finals in the next few years, the Rockets could change course. NBA general managers are notoriously opportunistic, and we don’t expect Rafael Stone to pass up an opportunity.

But not just any superstar will do – the emphasis is on the “old guys.” The Rockets need to target the right player.

Here’s our ranking of the 4 superstar players they’ve been linked to recently.

Kevin Durant is 35 years old. If you want, you can skip to the next slide.

Is he one of the greatest players of all time? Sure. Durant’s legacy isn’t in question here. In fact, he was as good (or better) than anyone on this list in 2023-24. Durant averaged 27.1 points per game on a 62.6 true shooting percentage (TS%) last season.

He’s also — in case you missed it — 35 years old. It may take Durant two or three seasons to noticeably decline, but make no mistake — the decline is coming.

The Rockets may want to change course soon, but that move would be too abrupt. If they trade for Durant, they’d better move every other player on their roster. Otherwise, they risk losing assets on a player who won’t be useful to them soon after the acquisition.

This risk is too great for our blood.