Durant reportedly has a wishlist (the Spurs, Rockets and Heat reportedly are on it), and with his expiring contract, he has a bit of leverage to get the deal he wants. But he is 37, not 27, and the threat of him passing on a lucrative two-year extension doesn't hold quite the same weight it once would.

Trade rumors surrounding the Phoenix Suns and Kevin Durant got a major update on Thursday after a major report.

To Windhorst’s point, Houston finished 52-30 and No. 2 in the Western Conference last season, while Miami went 37-45 in the East. Thus, from a purely short-term basketball perspective, the Rockets would seemingly give Durant a better opportunity to compete at the highest level over whatever remains of his prime NBA years.