Welcome to Kevin Durant Mock Trade Week. As one of the most valuable assets the organization holds — and the most likely piece thePhoenix Suns could move — we’re putting together a weeklong series exploring trade possibilities to determine his true market value. If you haven’t read the lead-up articles laying the groundwork for this, I’d recommend catching up before diving in.
All right. It’s KD Mock Trade Week. And we’re kicking things off by talking about a team that just so happens to hold the Suns’ pick in the 2025 NBA Draft: the Houston Rockets. A team that pushed the Golden State Warriors to seven games in the first round of the playoffs, only to learn a tough postseason lesson. When the game slows down, and the pressure ratchets up, you find out what you’re made of. And what Houston found out is this: they don’t have enough firepower when it matters most.
That’s what makes Kevin Durant so appealing.
So, let’s start by laying out what the trade would look like.
Suns receive: Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., 2025 First-Round Pick (10th)
Rockets receive: Kevin Durant, 2025 First-Round Pick (29th)
We know what the Rockets are getting in this deal. A scorer they desperately need, someone who can carry them in crunch time when the game slows down and possessions matter most. But what are they giving up? Part of their youth movement in this transaction, and probably not as many draft picks as the Suns fan base would hope for.
Let’s start with the players.
Jalen Green has three years remaining on his deal and will earn $33.3 million next season. He’s a player I’ve never particularly cared for, though I’ve seen him slice and dice the Phoenix Suns enough times over the years. To be fair, I’ve always chalked that up more to the Suns’ lack of point-of-attack defense than Green’s individual brilliance.
The former No. 2 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft is still just 23 years old. He’s undersized for a shooting guard and plays the same position as both Bradley Beal and Devin Booker, which makes it hard to see him as a foundational piece for Phoenix, considering Booker owns that spot. Then again, it wouldn’t be the first time the Suns stockpiled multiple guards in a crowded backcourt. Feels like just yesterday we had the three-headed dragon of Dragic, Bledsoe, and Thomas.
But here’s what Green does give you: options.
His youth, paired with his ability to score — a career average of 20.1 points per game on 42/34/80 shooting splits — makes him a movable asset. You’re not acquiring Green because you believe he’s the future of the franchise. You’re acquiring him as a means to start breaking up the Durant contract into more manageable, tradable pieces that could unlock flexibility for this organization in the years ahead.
That’s the real win in a deal like this. Because while Green is an above-average scorer, he’s a poor defender. And if the Suns are serious about developing an identity built around toughness, defense, and smart basketball, Green doesn’t fit that bill.
Jabari Smith Jr.? He’s the piece in this deal you’d circle as a legitimate win for the Suns. His situation in Houston has grown increasingly convoluted, and if the Rockets were to acquire Kevin Durant, it would almost certainly push the 22-year-old power forward to the bench.
That’s already where things were trending for him last season. After starting 155 of 155 games over his first two years, Smith started just 39 of 57 games in 2023-24. A combination of inconsistency, role uncertainty, and Houston’s changing priorities made his fit a little murky.
For the Suns, though, Smith represents something valuable: a young, athletic forward with defensive versatility and floor-spacing potential. He’s not a finished product, but he has the kind of upside this roster lacks in its current construction. If Phoenix is intent on retooling and getting younger, this is the type of player you take a flier on, one who might flourish in a different system with a clearer, more consistent role.
As Charles Denham from the Dream Shake writes in his 2024-25 player review:
I think his ball-handling and shot creation is in need of refinement. As a 6’10 stretch forward, Smith can shoot over almost any defender, his issue is he just can’t create shots in a way that plays to his strengths. Improving on that could elevate his offense so much, which would be fantastic for Houston. Another improvement I think Smith should seek is his playmaking ability. We saw the struggle with this in the playoffs, and quite frankly, even just an assist or two more a game while keeping the same turnovers would be forward progress. But, an MPJ 2.0 archetype is not something that should be sought after, which is sometimes the vibes I get when I see Bari look off the open man.
Smith is entering his fourth NBA season, and while he’s established himself as a quality role player, he hasn’t quite lived up to the expectations that came with being the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Houston has given him plenty of opportunity, but he hasn’t fully capitalized on it.
He’s been solid — averaging 13.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game — respectable numbers, but far from the star potential he flashed during his time at Auburn. The Rockets’ evolving roster and priorities haven’t done him many favors either, and it feels like he’s been caught between roles in a crowded frontcourt rotation.
A fresh start in Phoenix could be exactly what he needs. The Suns, in desperate need of youthful athleticism and frontcourt depth, could give Smith a more defined role and a clearer path to consistent minutes. And sometimes, that’s all a young player needs to unlock the next phase of their career.
And then there’s the draft capital.
In this deal, the Suns would be trading the No. 29 pick in this year’s draft to get back their own 2025 first-round pick, currently sitting at No. 10 overall. And I know plenty of fans are probably pounding the table right now yelling, “Get our 2027 first-rounder back too!” But in this case? Houston doesn’t have to. And why would they?
The Rockets are shorting the Suns’ future, betting that Phoenix’s fortunes continue to trend downward and that pick becomes even more valuable down the line. And if they’re taking on Kevin Durant, they’re doing it with the understanding that they’ll likely have to sign him to a pricey extension. That’s a gamble in itself. Keeping the 2027 Suns pick in their back pocket is smart insurance in case the whole thing flames out. That pick is their safety net.
Now, for this deal to work financially, some cap gymnastics would need to happen. Most notably, Houston would have to decline Aaron Holiday’s team option to open up enough room to make this trade viable under the cap.
But here’s what the trade accomplishes for Phoenix: it injects much-needed youth and flexibility into a veteran-heavy lineup. You’re adding Green, Smith, and the No. 10 pick, three assets that can either be developed, moved, or leveraged for future deals. Green could be flipped down the line for a player archetype more in line with the franchise’s long-term vision, or packaged in a multi-team deal. Either way, it’s about breaking up the KD contract and restoring flexibility.
So what do you think? If you were Brian Gregory, would you pull the trigger on this? Is it too tilted in Phoenix’s favor? Drop your trade grades in the comments below.
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