NBA Trade Rumor: Proposed Blockbuster Brings Kevin Durant to Denver

It's been obvious all season. The Houston Rockets' big splash last summer to bring in Kevin Durant simply hasn't worked. The team did not improve from last year, instead, it dropped from the 2-seed in the Western Conference to the 5th seed this season.

Durant has not been a great fit. Houston players have privately complained that KD just hasn't fit in, and are "regretting" the trade of Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks to get him. And the rumors of Durant already wanting out have begun.

With that, NBA insider Tom Haberstroh has proposed a blockbuster deal that could solve not only Houston's problem, but also that of the Denver Nuggets. They are a team that just needs to change it up, as the Nikola Jokic-Jamal Murray tandem has seemed to run its course.

Denver Nuggets receive:

Kevin Durant
2029 first-round pick

Houston Rockets receive:

Jamal Murray

"The Durant experiment in Houston may very well be over before it ever really began," writes Haberstroh, while we still await to see the result of their first-round series with the LA Lakers. The Rockets went down 0-3, so the chance of them completing the comeback, even after two wins, remains slim. And then the 'Durant Trade' narrative will pick up steam big-time.

Haberstroh says that KD would "help lengthen the Nuggets, who are severely lacking in the athleticism department." Though we aren't sure how much 'athleticism' a 38-year-old Durant (as of next season) would really bring.

Then there's also the $6M in savings the Nuggets would get if they were to go from Murray's $50M next year to Durant's $44M. That would help Denver navigate its cap problems, as they are approaching the loathed second apron.

From the Rockets' side of things, they would wind up, essentially, turning the youngster Green, one year later, into an older, more polished shooting guard playoff scorer like Murray that would help them advance their cause for next season.