The Houston Rockets did their darnedest to steal the spotlight from the NBA Finals' first Game 7 in nine years on Sunday, when it was announced that the club had flipped its No. 10 pick in this week's draft, five second rounders, shooting guard Jalen Green, and forward Dillon Brooks to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for 15-time All-Star forward Kevin Durant, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
Durant, who'll be 37 by the time the 2025-26 season, remains a potent offensive force — but he has grown discontented with his environs in all four of his previous stops. The University of Texas at Austin product found plenty of success with the Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors, and less luck with the Brooklyn Nets and Suns, but wherever he was, it was never good enough.
Last season for the 36-46 Suns, the two-time Finals MVP averaged 26.6 points on .527/.430/.839 shooting splits, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists a night. He'll add some three-level scoring and size to a formidable young Houston frontline.
The Rockets finished the 2024-25 season with a 53-29 record and snagged the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, but failed to survive the more seasoned Warriors in a seven-game first round rock fight.
Former Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35).
Former Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35).
Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
Now, Houston is hoping to take the proverbial championship leap with an 11-time All-NBA superstar in tow.
Durant had reportedly given the Suns a group of preferred trade destinations this summer, including the Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat.
Per John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix, the Heat's final trade offer didn't include two solid young pieces, first-year center Kel'el Ware or forward Nikola Jovic. The proposed deal included just a single draft selection and several veteran contracts that didn't appeal to the Suns front office, Gambadoro explains, confirming a new Miami Herald piece from Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang that unpacks the offer.
"Yes basically the Miami offer was junk," Gambadoro writes. "No Ware. No Jovic. Only one draft pick and players they nor the Suns wanted. Garbage. Miami was never really serious. They just pretend to be to appease their fan base."