Shams: Kevin Durant Traded to Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, No. 10, Five 2nd Round Picks

[jkvonny]

Thats a much better haul for the Suns than I expected

I thought the same as well.

Considering what they gave up to get KD it’s really not.

They got a few years service out of him. That's good enuff. And they get some assets.

Now it's Houston's turn, although at the tail end of his career.

[Chuck Everett]

Suns have a total mess of a roster with Beal, Booker and now Green on the books. Who all play the same position and play zero defense. How is this a win for them?

Because they had screwed up their roster and had no path to contention. Getting something back for KD that can be used to build for the future was step one of what will surely be a multi-year transition/rebuild. This trade was about getting assets back not building a playoff team that makes sense. This is only step one.

Yeah, they get back the 10th pick who more than likely is a role player.

As a result they now have green making max money on the books instead of an expiring KD contract. If they want real assets back, they need to trade Booker already.

Jalen Green will only be making 33 million next year and then 36 the next two. Far from a max. They're talking about giving Devin Booker a 75 million dollar extension. That's a max and that's utterly ridiculous.

[VanWest82]

Interesting poll results. Suns won this trade imo. KD is too old to lead a team and will surely bring discord into that locker room as he has at every stop.

They didn't bring him in to lead the team. They brought him in to get buckets. The offense will still run through Sengun and Bari/Tari/Amen will make KD's job on defense much easier. As much as I liked having Brooks he plays a role that the Rockets have the most depth at. if Reed or Cam can step up the Rockets are set.

Presumably we're talking about playoff buckets. He's going to be 37 next year. I don't see him getting tough playoff buckets anymore. Will he get you 20 in the flow of the offense? Sure. He might even average 25 in the regular season. I don't think KD is solving the Houston playoff offense.

[flow]

The real question is - Did Houston impove themselves for next season?



The Pacers last year were in a similar position to Houston this year. But they chose to hold thier cards and run it back. Now they're on the brink of a championship. Houston has just decided to do the opposite. They cashed in their nucleus/chemistry in pursuit of something better.

.

[fateis007]

Suns got a nice haul considering

The guy is 37 years old, a UFA after next year and forcing his destination. Why would they give up more?

[pipfan]

FVV/Reed
Amen
KD/Whitmore
JSmith/Eason
Sengun/Adams

Any way they can get creative and do Landale, AHoliday for GAllen
Hou adds much needed shooting with Allen
Suns dump a SG and clear more $

[bonita_the_frog]

He’s in his late 30’s it’s not like he’s got a lot of good seasons left

This season Durant averaged 26.6 points, .527 field, .430 threes, 1.2 blocks... so when will he have a bad season?
Age 37 ... 26ppg
Age 38 ... 26ppg
Age 39 ... 25ppg
Age 40 ... 25ppg
Age 41 ... 24ppg
And might actually score more than 26ppg, because he's getting more efficient with age!

Durant 3-pointer shooting:
Phoenix .427
Brooklyn .400
Golden State .384
Oklahoma City .380

Good point he will just keep getting better and never age and be the first player to defy father time

Certainly looks that way! At least until age 45 when he probably will score less than 20ppg
I don't think there's ever been a player so tall that shot so as well as Durant from all ranges, so we can't apply the usual rules to his future.

[davidv2001]

You think they bring back Fred? I always got the impression that his salary was more cap filler than worth. It will be interesting to see what happens there. He's a pretty good floor general (and really overmaligned in Toronto), but he is overpaid right now. I wonder if Houston plans to replace him or offer him a lot less by his next contract.

VanVleet is going to be back as the Rockets’ point guard next season. The debate among Rockets’ fans was would it be Brooks or him included if they did trade for Durant. They also really need his ability to stretch defenses by taking threes.

[WestbrookGOATed]

lmao, is Pat Riley like a bottom 3 GM at this point?

Read on Twitter

The fact that Riley thought Durant would move the needle for them blows my mind. They'd still be lucky to make the play in.

[thelead]

I think Amen will be the edge guy. He showed some of that this season. Houston improved at a fairly low cost.

I tend to agree about Amen... and he's not a loose canon. On the cost front, I'm not discounting what KD's extension will look like though. That could be ugly for Houston with Jabari and Tari up for extensions this summer too.... and they still have to bring back FVV.

You think they bring back Fred? I always got the impression that his salary was more cap filler than worth. It will be interesting to see what happens there. He's a pretty good floor general (and really overmaligned in Toronto), but he is overpaid right now. I wonder if Houston plans to replace him or offer him a lot less by his next contract.

Not sure what they'll do with FVV. They're not going to start 20 year old Reed Sheppard at point though.

[zero rings]

The real question is - Did Houston impove themselves for next season?

The Pacers last year were in a similar position to Houston this year. They chose to hold thier cards and run it back. Now they're on the brink of a championship. Houston just decided to do the opposite. They cashed in their nucleus/chemistry instead of building on it.

They didn't give up anything but the #10 pick. Jalen Green sucks, and dumping his contract on Phoenix is a win for Houston. Brooks is JAG.

As long as that #10 pick doesn't become an All-Star, they won this trade handily.

[reamily]

Will Durant play more than 65 reg season games?..

[pepe1991]

The real question is - Did Houston impove themselves for next season?

The Pacers last year were in a similar position to Houston this year. They chose to hold thier cards and run it back. Now they're on the brink of a championship. Houston just decided to do the opposite. They cashed in their nucleus/chemistry instead of building on it.

.

Pacers lost in ECF to eventual NBA champion, after choking several games.
Houston lost in first round. With home court adventage.


And who they moved? Green and Brooks. Both players choked in elimination game. Brooks stat line:
36 min
8 points ( 3-9 FG)
2 rebound
1 assist
2 TO


J. Green "mr. scorer"
30 min
8 points (3-8 FG)
4 rebounds
1 assist


Your "star" scoring guard probably shouldn't be losing playing time in playoffs to Steven Adams in 2025 if you are serious about fighting for title.

[Ambrose]

Interesting poll results. Suns won this trade imo. KD is too old to lead a team and will surely bring discord into that locker room as he has at every stop.

Suns have a total mess of a roster with Beal, Booker and now Green on the books. Who all play the same position and play zero defense. How is this a win for them?

Because they had screwed up their roster and had no path to contention. Getting something back for KD that can be used to build for the future was step one of what will surely be a multi-year transition/rebuild. This trade was about getting assets back not building a playoff team that makes sense. This is only step one.

Their roster isn't any less screwed up now. They're just worse and got one quality pick for it. They didn't even get back their own pick.

[reamily]

The real question is - Did Houston impove themselves for next season?

The Pacers last year were in a similar position to Houston this year. They chose to hold thier cards and run it back. Now they're on the brink of a championship. Houston just decided to do the opposite. They cashed in their nucleus/chemistry instead of building on it.

.

You don;t know what you're talking about. You think Jalen Green is part of the Rockets nucleus?

Yes..and the reason why they lose the first round in the first place..

[Bobbymcgee]

Devin Booker in for a rough year next season.

[HMFFL]

Good trade for Houston.
We will see what Phoenix does with the 10th overall pick and if Jalen Green develops into what the Suns need.

[thelead]

The real question is - Did Houston impove themselves for next season?



The Pacers last year were in a similar position to Houston this year. They chose to hold thier cards and run it back. Now they're on the brink of a championship. Houston just decided to do the opposite. They cashed in their nucleus/chemistry instead of building on it.

.

this is the equivalent of the Pacers giving up Mathurin, Nesmith, a 1st, and 5 2nds for KD... I think the Pacers would do that this afternoon if they could.

[MrBigShot]

Jalen Green is a certified chucker and has been since day 1.

Only a matter of time before Booker asks out.

[HMFFL]

Devin Booker in for a rough year next season.

He seems content.
It's not like the Suns have ever had much success anyway.