How the Houston Rockets Could Get the Phoenix Suns’ Draft Picks

PHOENIX – The Phoenix Suns dealt a slew of draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets – as well as Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson – in exchange for the services of Kevin Durant.

These assets could be on the move again.

The Athletic’s Kelly Iko highlighted how Phoenix’s former picks could be used in a trade with the Houston Rockets – who own the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

After considering options at No. 3 or trading for a package that included a star player (like Bridges in Brooklyn), Iko came up with the following:

“Houston could also look to acquire future draft picks, such as Brooklyn’s lineup of assets through the Phoenix Suns/Kevin Durant trade. The Houston Chronicle first reported the Rockets’ interest in the picks unprotected first rounder from the Suns (Brooklyn owns 2025, ’27 and ’29 Phoenix firsts in addition to trades starting in 2028 According to team sources, the Rockets will re-engage with the Nets before the 26th draft). June.

– Kelly Iko, The Athletic

Phoenix has the No. 22 pick in the draft and is highly expected to explore packaging with a player (some think they’ll dangle Jusuf Nurkic in trade talks) – we’ll see what new coach Mike Budenholzer has it up his sleeve.

The Suns can also trade their 2031 first-round pick, and it appears owner Mat Ishbia intends to push even more chips into the middle of the table.

“Fans like to look to the future and say, ‘Hey, I really like this 2031 draft pick because maybe this seventh grader will be really good and we’ll draft him and one day he’ll be a player .’ ‘”

Ishbia also emphasized that the house is not “burning down” when it comes to assets or capital.

“Five out of the next eight years we have a first-round pick. I know that’s not a good thing to say because people like to say we don’t have a draft pick, but we do. we have five in the next eight years and we can trade two next month if we want to. So it’s not like people are saying we don’t have any flexibility.

The 2024 NBA Draft begins June 26.