Durant traded to Houston for Green, Brooks, #10 pick, and multiple 2nd rounders

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6444109/2025/06/22/rockets-kevin-durant-trade-suns-nba/

Despite Green’s strong preference to stay in Houston, league sources said he became increasingly resigned to the reality he was on the move in the days leading up to the deal and received word that it was agreed upon approximately an hour before it was first reported by ESPN.

According to a source close to Durant, the future Hall of Famer is “incredibly excited” about the opportunity to join a contender in Houston, surrounded by a talented coaching staff and top-five defensive unit. The news broke just as he was being interviewed in New York for Fanatics Fest, with the 14-time All-Star letting out a huge grin in front of hundreds of adoring fans.

“We gon’ see,” Durant said with a smile, regarding what to expect.

Durant has one season remaining on his current contract (worth $54.7 million). Yet while he may not sign an extension when he’s eligible in July, team sources said there is a strong belief that this will be a long-term partnership. On paper, the Rockets’ potential looks extremely promising.

Team sources said there are early indications Smith will likely return to the starting lineup, with Thompson — who originally replaced Smith last season after Smith broke his hand — slotting into Green’s vacated starting spot. The Rockets now possess ample length at four starting positions, amplifying the defensive tools Udoka now has at his disposal.


https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6443983/2025/06/22/kevin-durant-trade-rockets-suns-analysis-reaction/

Houston agreed to send Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the 10th pick in the 2025 draft and five future second-rounders to the Suns in return for Durant. The trade can’t be completed until the moratorium ends on July 6 because it has to take place in the new cap year. Per a team source, the five seconds are No. 59 in this week’s draft, two of three seconds Houston owns in 2026, a 2030 pick from Boston and Houston’s own second in 2032. Houston will select for Phoenix in the draft with picks No. 10 and No. 59, won’t sign those players to contracts and will include their rights in the July 6 trade call.

Cap nerds will note that this trade seems destined to get larger — possibly much larger. The Suns have ample time to negotiate to send either Green, Brooks or any of the draft picks to third parties; some potential shenanigans could yield a decent-sized trade exception. Meanwhile, the Rockets can find ways to stuff guys with contract options like Jock Landale or Aaron Holiday in the deal to take back a player from a third team.

Cap nerds will also rejoice in the detail that Phoenix missing the playoffs was the only thing that made this trade possible. Because of that, Brooks’ $1 million bonus for making the playoffs goes from “likely” to “unlikely” and takes his cap number down to $21.1 million for next season, allowing the combination of his and Green’s salaries to squeeze in to match Durant’s. Phoenix can’t take back more than it sends out while it remains over the first apron, which it will be even if it cuts the non-guaranteed deal Cody Martin and declines the option on Vasilije Micić.

For those who are wondering, there are good reasons both ways why the Rockets sent the 10th pick in 2025 rather than one of the unprotected Phoenix firsts they’re sitting on. For the Suns, time is money, and this trade helps take some of the worst-case scenarios of future seasons off the table if they play their cards right (gigantic “if” here, but humor me). As much as the Suns bluster about winning championships, a lot of this deal’s value is in softening the worst-case scenarios of the next half-decade so they can have some actual hope. To that end, getting a guaranteed lottery pick right now rather than a possible lottery pick two years from now is probably helpful.

From the Rockets’ end, meanwhile, they definitely lightened some of Phoenix’s potential downside in the 2027 and 2029 draft years, when they own unprotected Suns’ picks. But the Suns were going to get something for Durant, so the alternate history isn’t necessarily much different.

Meanwhile, there’s a lot of value for Houston in sending out the 2025 first rather than one of the future picks. First, the Rockets already have a crowd of young, talented players who are struggling to get minutes and don’t need another of the same ilk. Guys like Reed Sheppard and Cam Whitmore barely tasted the floor this season.

Second, the Rockets need that 2027 first from Phoenix as a placeholder so they can’t get Stepien ruled by trading their own picks. The Rockets are now in a position to trade five of their own firsts — in 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030 and 2032 — in any future blockbuster that comes to pass in the next 24 months, because the Suns’ picks in 2027 and 2029 inoculate them from the Stepien rule.

Also, if you think that 59th pick from Houston is worthless, don’t be so sure. The Suns can draft a player into this spot and roster him all season in their 14th roster spot, and he will count about half as much against the tax as a veteran on a minimum deal. The potential saving is in the millions in raw dollars, but it also might really matter if they’re trying to stay below the second apron. Yes, the Suns already own pick No. 52, but it’s possible they pursue this strategy with both those back-end roster spots.

Exhales … OK, now about the basketball.

Where things get interesting for the Rockets is what they do next to cement themselves as contenders. This is an obvious chips-in move for them after their half-court offense face-planted against the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. Houston signed the talented but erratic Green to that extension last season partly to be able to use his salary in a trade just like this one, and even the aging version of Durant is a much more effective engine for playoff offense than Green.

The Rockets already committed three years and $39 million to Steven Adams and presumably will re-sign Fred VanVleet to a more cap-friendly, long-term deal after they decline his $42 million team option. The fact that they front-loaded Adams’ deal suggests to me they will do the same with VanVleet’s to ease the pain of future seasons when likely contract extensions for Tari Eason and Amen Thompson kick in.

Houston still needs one more rotation-caliber shooting guard, preferably one who can shoot, and will have its taxpayer midlevel exception to go shopping for it. Then, of course, we have the elephant in the room — what Durant is worth on an extension. He has one year left on a deal that pays him $54.5 million and can sign an extension as soon as he’s traded. While he is eligible to sign for two years and $122 million, that’s almost certainly an overpay for his age-38 and age-39 seasons. Shaving that number down to something more reasonable is also critical to the cap management of the extension years that I noted above. Presumably, Durant’s people and the Rockets at least broached this topic before the trade happened, but they have all year to sign an extension.

Regardless, the Rockets are a better playoff team now than they were before, even if this trade might cost them a few regular-season wins. Brooks’ stopper role is easily filled by Eason and Thompson, and Durant is better than Green. Yes, it cost them a lottery pick, because it’s Kevin freaking Durant.

As for Phoenix, the Suns now have cornered the shooting guard market! Seven of the 10 players they currently have under contract are twos. Brooks will likely start at small forward and be their defensive stopper, and Bradley Beal’s Untradeable Contract will come off the bench behind Devin Booker. That makes Green the point guard, which is suboptimal; it also makes it seem likely that they would waive Cody Martin’s non-guaranteed deal and trade Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale.

Allen and O’Neale make a combined $27 million next season, and they aren’t dead money at those salaries; trading both for either a real point guard or anybody 6-foot-7 or taller will go a long way toward evening out the roster.

The Suns also need to move those players to get below the second apron and unfreeze their 2032 draft pick. They don’t need straight salary dumps, but taking back less money than they send out would go a long way toward achieving the goal. Those second-round picks from Houston may come into play as deal-sweeteners in trades involving either or both of those two.

As for the large logic of the deal itself, it made a ton of sense for the Suns. The fact that they gave up way too much in the original trade for Durant is a sunk cost; this particular trade was a decent return that gives them both draft capital and two starters, one of whom is young enough to still get considerably better. They were never doing better than this.

Meanwhile, with the giant Durant domino out of the way, we move on to the next moves. What do teams like Miami, Minnesota and San Antonio do now that Durant is off the table? Will other stars come on the market in the coming weeks, or is this a wrap for the A-list player movement?

For that, we must wait. In the meantime, I thought this was a fair trade that accomplished reasonable franchise-level goals for both sides. As ever, the real test of whether the trade “worked” lies in what they can do next.

 

I feel like him and Udoka will gel. Seems like a no-nonsense type coach. I think getting back to Texas and playing with his old buddy Adams will keep him happy

 

the true mark of a super star!

 

Saw some more info on what the second rounders were. I love that they threw in the 59 this year. That pick is garbage in this first year that most guys worth taking in the second round stayed in college. I also wouldn't assign too much value to the Rockets second rounders or the Boston second rounder. So again, less mad about that.

I've also came around to the fact if somebody like Giannis demands a trade before the deadline, Durant + Cam and some of the picks we kept would probably get that done. So I like that flexibility.

I'm going to hope this works out for the best, I just have serious concerns about his health and his heart.

 

Yeah lets be honest though people were this excited and said things like youre saying everywhere he went. Harden has done better after leaving KD. Kyrie has done better after leaving KD. KD's places have been a disaster. I just hope its not HIM. Edit: Not meaning he's toxic just meaning that he may not be the impact player he used to be. He's getting paid like a high impact player though and thats the issue. We didnt gut the roster so Ill just be happy.

 

now that Jalen is gone I think bari has real potential to be great learning from KD. ive been saying Bari got more tools to be a number 1 than Jalen and Sengun. im serious.

 

I’m in shock!
Literally just found out and imma let it digest before I comment
Totally in shock!

 

Its not a risk at all.

Any idea who whe ad?

 

I think it is a BIG mistake, but we shall see. In basketball years, Durant is a senior citizen. Green is a very talented enigma. May become great, may be a bust. Durant WAS great. Now, he mainly rides the bench injured.

 

Wr need to use our assests to win now(assuming they will). One more shooter. Thinn bench

 

I didn't like the Brooks signing at first, but he grew on me and I'm now thinking that I'll kinda miss having him out there; I do give Stone props for that signing. I can't say that I'll miss Jalen, however, I was very much looking forward to the draft... there were a few guys potentially available at 10 who I really liked for the Rockets, but, oh well - I guess that's the price you pay for botching the 2nd overall pick and then doubling down by signing him to an unwarranted and unearned extension. Just another wasted asset to throw on the pile of unaccountability by the lawyer cosplaying as our GM.

I just hope that Durant is available to play when we need him... considering how much cap he'll be taking up, I really, really hope its worth it.

 

How os it a mistake? We got rid of trash in Green and Cam and the. picks don't matter. Trying to win now

 

So it's basically three years. But if he does take the max of 122 million, would that mean that Jabari who is up for an new contract, and Amen the yeat after place that in jeopardy?

 

They gave up Cam too?!

 

Nope.

 

Y? Amen can guard everyone. And we have Tari.

 

From r/Suns on Reddit. Brutal!


The Phoenix Suns turned 4 unprotected firsts, 1 unprotected swap, Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson & Jae Crowder into...Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the 10th pick in this year's draft and 5 seconds - Results of one of the dumbest owners in the league.

 

Unfotunately not

 

Too bad