Amid rumors that the Houston Rockets are trying to position themselves for a Kevin Durant trade if he becomes available, Phoenix Suns governor Mat Ishbia is pouring some cold water on those rumblings.

Ishbia wrote on X that the Suns love Durant and vice versa, and they "are competing for a championship this year because we have the team to do it."

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Tuesday the Rockets sent the 2026 and 2027 first-round draft picks they were owed from the Brooklyn Nets as part of the James Harden trade back to Brooklyn in exchange for the Suns' first-round picks in 2025 and 2027 that were owed to the Nets from the Durant trade in February 2023.

The thinking on Houston's part, according to Wojnarowski, is it has positioned itself "to be aggressive in future trade scenarios with the Suns should that franchise need to disassemble."

On Wednesday's episode of First Take, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith said he was told by a source, "Pay no attention to what Phoenix is saying. They want out of Kevin Durant right now."

Smith added the Rockets would actually prefer to trade for Booker because his age (27) would more closely align with their window of contention, as opposed to the 35-year-old Durant.

In the aftermath of their first-round sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Suns' short- and long-term outlook were a major talking point. If they keep their core of Durant, Booker and Bradley Beal, they have no path to making any significant roster changes because their payroll has them above the second apron.

The trades for Durant and Beal have left the Suns without a first-round draft pick between 2025 and 2031. They only have four total draft picks over the next seven years, including their first-rounder in 2024.

Phoenix did go 26-15 in 41 games during the regular season with its main trio healthy. That would translate to a 52-win pace over a full season, which would have been good enough for the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference.

If the Suns get healthy seasons from Durant, Booker and Beal in 2024-25, it wouldn't be a surprise to see them challenge for a top-four seed in the West. That's a big if considering they have missed a combined 283 games over the past four seasons.

The Rockets may not be able to make a big splash for a superstar player this summer, but they have set themselves up well to essentially give the Suns back most of their draft capital in a trade if the organization wants a reset either by the trade deadline or next offseason.