We’ve reached a very exciting time of the year–the days leading up to the NBA draft. While it should be illegal for a blockbuster deal to be made on the same day as Game seven of the NBA Finals, that’s exactly what we got, with Kevin Durant getting sent to the Rockets in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the #10 overall pick, and five second-rounders. It’s been a while since I’ve written on The NBA Blog, but I need to get my thoughts on this deal out into the open.
Houston Trade Grade: A
Come on…getting KD without giving up Jabari Smith Jr, Amen Thompson, or Reed Sheppard? That’s a huge win. The Rockets had a ton of depth, and while fans may not be happy about parting with Jalen Green, it will give their other guards room to grow and develop. Houston almost had too much depth, and it made all too much sense to trade for Durant.
Durant may be 36 years old, but he’s proven he can still be an effective NBA player and earn a team wins. The only thing for the Rockets to consider is that Durant at maximum has three to four years left where he’s still a productive player. That’s their window to contend for a title, and in the loaded Western conference, just making it to the Finals means going through the Minnesota Timberwolves and defending Oklahoma City Thunder. It’s not going to be easy, but the Rockets have positioned themselves very well as a contender. If they were in the East, there’s no doubt they’d be the favorites to win the Conference.
Projected Starting Five: Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr, Alperen Sengun
I don’t know about you, but I like that starting five.
Phoenix Trade Grade: B
I’m mixed about this deal from Phoenix’s perspective. They made the most out of a less-than-ideal situation, trading an aging superstar for a young star, an elite defender, and a top ten pick in one of the most loaded draft classes in recent history. Maybe one of the second-rounders will turn into a rotation player too. But still…getting Jalen Green when the Suns already have two All-Star shooting guards in Devin Booker and Bradley Beal? It feels a little redundant, especially because the Suns can’t move Beal and won’t move Booker. Getting draft compensation is good, and for what they had, the Suns did a good job.
But…they also could’ve avoided this situation entirely. Back in 2023, the Suns traded Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Jae Crowder, and four future unprotected first-round pics for Kevin Durant. The haul that the Suns gave up to acquire Durant is nowhere close to what they got in return for trading him. So, they had Durant for two years, didn’t so much as make it to the second round of the playoffs, and now only have Green and Dillon Brooks to show for it. Would you trade those two players for Bridges, Crowder, Johnson, and four first-rounders? Absolutely not. Props to the Suns for getting a solid package that they can use to bolster their depth, but I disapprove of how they found themselves in this situation.
Stay tuned for other trade grades coming soon, as well as 1st round draft coverage!
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