The Suns are hesitating for the KD Rockets, and the Nets sell Johnson for draft picks: Will the team bet on veterans or bet on new players?

Recently, the NBA trading market has been surging undercurrents. The Suns took the lead in dropping a bomb - officially putting the 36-year-old Durant on the shelves, and it is said that they are trying hard to sell it to the Rockets. This operation looks quite interesting at first glance. The Suns wanted to exchange Durant for draft picks, but to put it bluntly, they wanted to get back the first round pick he sent away that year. But the Rockets are not the sucker. Although scorers of Durant's level are simply a necessity, how can a pie fall from the sky? To exchange Durant, in addition to those first-round picks, it is estimated that there will be a few potential young players and expiration contracts. It’s like going to a vegetable market to buy vegetables. It looks like a good dish, but the stall owner has to buy it too high and has to bundle it. Anyone has to think about whether it’s worth it.

Let's talk about Durant first. Although he is 36 years old, he is a veteran who has played for more than ten years. His condition is indeed online this season, but what about the future? No one dares to promise that he can always maintain his peak. More importantly, the annual salary of nearly 55 million next season is simply a hot potato. The Rockets are now in the reconstruction period, and the money in their pockets has to be spent on the edge. With such a high salary proportion, if Durant's form declines, the team will be trapped. Besides, instead of betting on the future of a veteran, it is better to turn your attention to a more practical choice - find a few reliable role players or a pro-star, spend less money to do more practical things, and improve external firepower without delaying the training of new players. This is a smart plan.

On the other side, the Nets are not idle either, and the trading plan revealed by the media is quite interesting. They plan to use the No. 19 sign to add star forward Cameron Johnson to exchange for the lotto sign, and their goal is to directly target the Rockets' No. 10 sign and the Raptors' No. 9 sign. This move is a bit like "old trade-in" - although Johnson is also a good player, the Nets value this year's draft New Year more. Think about it, it is said that there are many potential stocks among the rookies this year. If they can get the top 10 picks, they may be able to find the core players of the future.

Speaking of Cameron Johnson, this guy's data is actually quite impressive. At the age of 29, he averaged 18.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, and a three-point shooting percentage of 39%. He is also an all-round forward who can defend and organize. The key is that the contract has two years left, with more than 20 million yuan per year. Although it is not cheap, it is within a reasonable range. For the Rockets, isn’t this ready-made combat power? He is at the right age and is in his playing age. He can not only score but also share organizational pressure, and can also complement the young players on the team. Unlike Durant, the age gap is too big, and the atmosphere in the locker room may be problematic - think about it, can a group of young men in their twenties and a veteran in their forties play together? If the Nets' deal is successful, it will make a lot of money. Holding the No. 8 lottery and the lottery you received in your hand is equivalent to having two "scratch" at once. What if you win the lottery? Even if you don’t choose a superstar, it’s good to have a few more potential stocks. After all, what the team lacks the most is future assets. If the Rockets exchange the No. 10 sign plus a premium contract for Johnson, although they send away the draft pick, they can immediately increase the outside firepower. Whether it is an "instant stop loss" or a "drinking poison to quench thirst", it depends on the management's vision.

The current problem is thrown to the Rockets management: on one side is Durant, who is famous but has a high salary, and on the other side is Cameron Johnson, who is young, practical, but has limited ceilings. How should we choose?

Those who support Durant's replacement will say that top stars are hard to come by. Although it is expensive, if Durant maintains his form, the team can take off directly. After all, playoff experience cannot be bought. Besides, the Rockets have not entered the playoffs for many years, and fans are almost impatient to wait. Some star effect can also boost morale.

But the opposition is definitely louder: Everyone knows Durant's glass attributes. In recent years, injuries have been going on. Can you still withstand high-intensity competitions at the age of 36? The annual salary of 55 million accounts for more than half of the salary cap, and the operating space will be locked in the next few years. If the performance does not improve after the transaction, it will really be a loss for the wife and the army. In contrast, Johnson is more like a "cost-performance ratio" that does not account for too much salary, and can grow with young players. Even if he does not show expectations, the losses are within a controllable range.

After all, this is actually a multiple-choice question that all rebuilding teams will face: Should I bet on the "immediate combat power" of a veteran, or should I steadily train newcomers? There is no absolutely correct answer, only suitable or not. But one thing is clear - every decision of the Rockets may affect the direction of the team in the next few years. Fans might as well move the small stool and wait to see whether the management is "dare to be the first" or "seek progress with stability".