Rockets' Ascent_ The Enduring Kevin Durant Pursuit (2025)

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
There's nothing quite like seeing a young team climb up
the ranks in the NBA, is there. I mean, one
minute they'll be building, the next boom, they're right there.
Fortunes change fast. Today we're going to do a deep
died into exactly that. We're looking at the Houston Rockets
their journey from well a full rebuild to basically being
on the edge of contention. And you know, you can't
really talk about the Rockets big plans without getting into

(00:20):
the Kevin Durant stuff. Those rumors just keep scrolling.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
Around, right, So our mission for you today is really
to cut through all that noise. We're going to distill
the key insights from the sources we've looked at. We'll
cover the Rockets path, those persistent Katie rumors, and what
it might actually mean if a move like that happened.
This is all as of June twenty eight, twenty twenty five.
Just to be clear, the goal is to give you

(00:43):
the core understanding, you know, quick and.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
Clear, exactly. Think of it as your shortcut. You listen
to this, you'll be properly informed on what's honestly one
of the most interesting storylines in the league right now.
So let's start with the Rockets themselves. It's been a well,
a really calculated path, hasn't it. From the bottom right
up to the edge of the playoffs. You can see
the shift.

Speaker 2 (01:04):
Oh absolutely under Ema Udoka. And you got a credit
the front office too. This roster hasn't just been thrown together.
It's been like meticulously crafted. They're blending that young talent
with some key veterans, and the twenty twenty four twenty
twenty five season you likely saw them take some pretty
big steps forward, really embracing that tough, de sensive style
Udoka wants.

Speaker 1 (01:23):
Okay, so when you look at that young core who
really stands out as you know, foundational, how do they
fit together to make this new Rockets identity?

Speaker 2 (01:31):
That's a great question. It's definitely about the synergy now,
not just individual guys. Take Alpa and Segun. He's not
just a center. He's like this offensive hub in the post.
His playmaking it's rare for a big man. It forces
defenses to completely change how they play. Houston opens things
up for everyone else. That's foundational. Then there's Jabari Smith Junior.
He's really grown into that versatile forward role, better shooting, switchable,

(01:55):
defense that's so crucial today. And I'm and Tomson, I'm
super athletic guard, incredible passer, rebounds like crazy for his position,
and the defense is already there. You see a future
two way star. Those three especially, they just offer this
really interesting mix of skills that seem to work well together.

Speaker 1 (02:13):
And you've also got guys like tarry Eazen bringing that
energy that defense. Yeah, and read Shepherd, the recent draft pick,
potentially adding shooting death in the backcourt. But it's not
just the young guys driving this, right, the veterans were key.

Speaker 2 (02:24):
Totally essential. Dylan Brooks particularly, he's been like the template
for the younger players, that intensity on defense, the leadership,
even just embracing his specific role, you know, that sets
a standard. It shows the young core what winning basketball
looks like. And we can't forget Jalen Green. Yeah, there
have been some trade rumors here and there, but his development,

(02:45):
his scoring punch, that's still a major factor for their ceiling.
He's definitely part of the plan.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
Right, So the typical starting five looks like Sengin, Smith Junior, Thompson,
Green and Brooks. Obviously, injuries, matchups things can change that
maybe eas and in sometimes, but that's the main group.
So with that setup and this clear direction, here's where
it gets really interesting. How aggressive are they willing to be? Now?
What about those assets?

Speaker 2 (03:09):
Well, everything points towards them being pretty aggressive, wanting to
jump past the final stages of the rebuild. They're not
just aiming for the playoffs. They seem to want to
make some real noise, maybe even challenge teams like the Warriors.
And this is where those draft picks come in. All
those picks they gathered, especially the unprotected firsts from Brooklyn
from the Harden deal, those are massive assets, huge leverage

(03:30):
for bilding the roster or you know, making a massive trade.

Speaker 1 (03:33):
And yeah, that pile of assets is exactly what fuels
all the talk, all the whispers, specifically about Kevin Durant,
the idea of Katie to Houston. It just won't go away,
will it.

Speaker 2 (03:43):
Nope, it's remarkably persistent, and just to set the stage.
As of our report date June twenty eight, twenty twenty five,
Katie is still with the Phoenix Sens, playing alongside Booker
and Bale. But what keeps these Houston rumors alive? It
isn't just wishful thinking. It's this specific convergence. It's Houston strategy,
their assets lining up with maybe maybe a point where

(04:04):
Phoenix might have to consider things.

Speaker 1 (04:05):
That's the really interesting part for me. It's not just hey,
let's get a star. It feels more targeted, like a
specific window might open. So based on the sources, what
are the actual reasons this, Katie, the Houston idea keeps
coming up.

Speaker 2 (04:19):
Okay, two main things really. First, Durant himself, he's a
generational scorer right his shooting, his length, clutch play. You
add him, your team's championship odds just skyrocket instantly. He's
one of those guys. Second, it's the Rocket situation. They
have the cap space flexibility, and crucially, they have that
war chest of draft picks. We talked about those nets picks,
especially that combination gives them the ammo theoretically at least

(04:41):
put together the kind of blockbuster package that very few
other teams could even attempt for a player like Durant.

Speaker 1 (04:48):
Okay, so let's be crystal clear, then, despite all the smoke,
all the talk, Yeah, did Kevin Durant get traded to
the Rockets?

Speaker 2 (04:54):
No, plain and simple. As of June twenty eight, twenty
twenty five, Kevin Durant has not been traded to the
Houston Rockets. The Suns. Look, they've kept their core together.
They're trying to win two. And believe me, if a
deal that big actually happens, you'll hear it from the
major insiders first guys like Scham's Chiranya. It won't just
be whispers.

Speaker 1 (05:12):
Still, Yeah, you can see the appeal. Right, Durant in
a Rockets jersey. Wow, the thought alone makes you imagine
this huge power shift in the West. What would the
actual benefits be for Houston if hypothetically this trade happened.

Speaker 2 (05:26):
Oh, the benefits would be huge and immediate. First off offense,
Durant's scoring makes them a top tier offensive team overnight.
Imagine him alongside Sengun's postgame, Smith's versatility, Thompson's athleticism. It
fits really well. But it's more than just points. He
brings that star power, that championship pedigree, remembers Warriors titles,
that kind of experience. Mentoring the young core, it would

(05:46):
accelerate everything. It makes their ceiling way higher. Right now,
think about a starting five. I'm in Thompson, Jalen Green,
Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith, Junior, Alprin Sangon. I mean that's
got length, shooting defense, so many ways to score.

Speaker 1 (05:58):
Really tough matchup and signal something too, right, It's not
just let's make the playoffs. Getting KD means the pressure
is on championship or bust pretty much immediately. But that
kind of immediate jump it comes with the massive price tag,
doesn't it. What would Houston realistically have to give up?

Speaker 2 (06:16):
Oh, substantial, absolutely substantially. You're talking significant draft capital, likely
a lot of those valuable Brooklyn picks, and probably some
of their young players too, though you'd assume they'd fight
hard to keep Seng and Smith and Thompson. And then
there's Durant's contract is max deal. So yeah, it's a
huge gamble, a calculated risk. Definitely. Do you push all
your chips in now or do you stick with the slower,

(06:37):
maybe more sustainable build. That's the question.

Speaker 1 (06:40):
You know, all this constant KD news and just NBA
trade uzz in general, it really does show how much
star players drive everything in the league today.

Speaker 2 (06:48):
It really does. Teams are always trying to figure out
how to get or keep that top level talent. It's
essential to compete. You see similar discussions around other stars too,
like Gianna Santetokumpo. Every move Milwaukee makes his you through
that lens.

Speaker 1 (07:01):
It makes you think of guys like pat Riley, maybe
not involved here, but that whole philosophy of just relentlessly
chasing star power. It seems like that's off from the
blueprint for teams trying to break through.

Speaker 2 (07:12):
Be bold exactly. And you see from the other side too,
like how Phoenix's own trade talks are often about optimizing
around their stars KD Booker Bial trying to maximize their window.
It's the central challenge for so many front offices.

Speaker 1 (07:27):
Okay, so let's wrap this up to summarize, the Houston
Rockets have made it pretty clear they're done with the
label rebuilding. They've put together this really interesting roster built
around sing Gun Smith, Junior Ohman, Thompson, strong foundation.

Speaker 2 (07:41):
Yeah, and those persistent Kevin Durant rumors. They really highlight
just how ambitious the Rockets are. They seem willing to
accelerate things, maybe even skip a few steps to get
back into real championship contention.

Speaker 1 (07:53):
And even though that KD trade hasn't happened again as
of late June twenty twenty five. The fact that people
are talking about it so seriously tells you a lot
about how far the Rockets have come and how their
positioned to potentially make a massive move if the opportunity arises.

Speaker 2 (08:08):
So here's something for you, the listener, to think about.
What is that right balance for a team? How much
do you lean into patient development versus taking that huge swing,
that calculated gamble for immediate contention, especially when it's a
player like Kevin Durant potentially on the table. What would
you give up if you were the GM for that
shot at the title right now.

All Episodes

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know

Dateline NBC

CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist

.css-15opob5{left:0;position:absolute;top:0.8rem;} All Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Rockets' Ascent_ The Enduring Kevin Durant Pursuit (2025)

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}Stuff You Should Know

Dateline NBC

CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist

All Episodes

Rockets' Ascent_ The Enduring Kevin Durant Pursuit (2025)

Stuff You Should Know