Finally, Kevin Durant's time as a member of the Phoenix Suns is over. He and the franchise officially closed the book on this forgettable chapter of their respective journeys, with the 15-time All-Star getting traded to the Houston Rockets.
Phoenix sent Durant to Houston for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 overall selection in this year's NBA draft and five second-round picks. ESPN's Shams Charania broke the news hours before Game 7 of the Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder. Talk about uncanny timing.
BREAKING: The Phoenix Suns are trading two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft and five second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/EwrbA2ES9O
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 22, 2025
There had been chatter that Phoenix was receiving lackluster offers for Durant, and the return they netted is telling. Houston managed to hang onto its most coveted bargaining chips (depending on what you think of Green) and only gave up one first-rounder. Nevertheless, the Suns were ostensibly ready to cut their losses and put this situation behind them.
Rockets win Kevin Durant sweepstakes with middling haul
Less than a handful of days ago, Sam Amick of The Athletic said talks between the Suns and Rockets around KD weren't going "particularly well." However, something changed quickly, whether that be the package or mutual motivation to get a deal done. Nonetheless, one of the best scorers in league history is headed to Houston for a less-than-stellar haul.
Phoenix seemingly didn't even want to take on Green's three-year, $105.33 million contract that kicks in starting in 2025-26. In the immediate aftermath of the swap, The Ringer's Zach Lowe "[suspects] it's very, very likely" that the Suns re-route him. They were left with no choice, considering Houston wasn't budging and no one swooped in to outbid them.
Despite only being 23, the talented yet flawed guard is widely viewed as a negative asset. The Suns now inherited that problem -- as the focal point of their agreement to part ways with an all-time great superstar. Make it make sense!
Brooks is a solid 3-and-D veteran wing, but he's better suited as a complementary piece. The 29-year-old figures to assume a bigger workload on a Phoenix squad lacking playmakers, which doesn't bode well for retooling around organizational centerpiece Devin Booker.
Speaking of Brooks and Booker, Phoenix suddenly has a considerably expensive, albeit underwhelming, backcourt jam. They owe approximately $178 million in combined salary to the mentioned duo, Green, Bradley Beal and Grayson Allen. That quintet nearly puts the Suns at the first apron, and that doesn't include the rest of the roster.
From Houston's perspective, this may have been the best possible outcome. Dumping Green before having to pay him is a massive win itself, let alone getting KD for doing so. They get to keep their ascendant young core of Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, Alperen Şengün, Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason. Moreover, the Rockets didn't include any of the Suns' picks they have control of moving forward.
In other words, the Rockets addressed their most glaring need: half-court offense. Meanwhile, they're still equipped to continue making moves in addition to landing Durant and remain invested in Phoenix's downfall. Houston general manager Rafael Stone knocked it out of the park with one massive swing. He set them up well for the present without sacrificing their future.