Jalen Green, traded by the Houston Rockets to the Phoenix Suns in a multi-team deal for Kevin Durant, says he's at peace with the move and grateful for the chance to keep playing basketball.
Jalen Green may no longer be a Houston Rocket, but he says there's no bitterness about how things ended.
Free throws this season
Houston Rockets
NBA
Now with the Phoenix Suns, Green was spotted courtside at the 2025 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, where he spoke with Houston Chronicle reporter Danielle Lerner. Despite the trade, the player made it clear he's at peace with the situation.
"Yeah, I had a feeling. They've been trying to trade me since last year," Green told the Houston Chronicle. "I'm not tripping. It's for the better of the team. I know it's a business at the end of the day. I really can't handle how I feel. Whatever happens, happens. At the end of the day, I still got the opportunity to play basketball."
The Rockets traded Green as part of a blockbuster deal to acquire Kevin Durant. Houston sent Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and five future second-round picks to Phoenix.
The trade later expanded and involved the Atlanta Hawks, who joined through a sign-and-trade, sending veteran center Clint Capela to Houston.
Green, 23, was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft. Last season, he appeared in 81 games for Houston, averaging 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists.
Over the course of four years with the team, he played a total of 307 games.
Thank you for being with us! Subscribe to BN+ and browse ad-free.