NBA Trade Grades: Kevin Durant to Rockets

NBA Trade Grades: Kevin Durant traded to Rockets

We finally have a Kevin Durant resolution! The 15-time All-Star was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets on Sunday in a three-player, six-pick deal. Let’s hand out some trade grades, shall we?!

Rockets Acquire: Kevin Durant

The Rockets, coming off their first 50-win season since 2018-19, didn’t pay an inexpensive price, but they got their guy and they have plenty of additional flexibility to make another big swing.

They kept Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Fred VanVleet (team option), Tari Eason, Reed Sheppard and Cam Whitmore, among others. They didn’t have to give Phoenix any of their other picks back while keeping all of their own first-round picks.

Houston needed half-court offense as much as anyone in the entire NBA. They had the ninth-worst halfcourt offense (CTG), eighth-worst effective field goal percentage and seventh-worst true-shooting percentage last season. Durant, 36, is still an elite shot maker when he’s healthy–even though he doesn’t apply much rim pressure at this stage of his career.

Last year, Durant averaged 26.6 points on 52.7 percent shooting, 43.0 percent from 3-point range and 83.9 percent from the free-throw line. His health is a question. He’s suffered two Grade 2 MCL sprains since the start of 2021-22 and dealt with an ankle sprain toward the end of 2024-25. Those soft tissue injuries are harder to recover from as you climb into your mid-to-late 30s, and he’s only played in 68.5 percent of his available games since 2019-20.

Even at a more-expensive-than-expected cost, this is a worthwhile swing, though I am fascinated to see how aggressive Houston continues to be over the next several weeks.

Grade: A-

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Suns Acquire: Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, No. 10 overall pick, 5 Second-Round Picks

On one hand, the Suns traded Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, four first-round picks and one swap for Kevin Durant and TJ Warren, so the value they got back was nowhere near what Mat Ishbia sent out. They were also seeking three first-round picks plus a young player for him, which also wasn’t met.

However, the Suns had zero leverage in their negotiations. None. Zero. Nada. While Green is quite a polarizing player, acquiring him, taking on Dillon Brooks’ final two years (~$40 million) in addition to a top-10 pick and a handful of second-round picks isn’t terrible. Is it a home run?! Absolutely not. But they could’ve done worse, all things considered.

This grade could depend on how they proceed with Bradley Beal and if they re-route Jalen Green; according to longtime Phoenix radio host John Gambadoro, the Suns don’t plan on re-routing Green, but there’s still plenty of offseason left for that to be decided. He has three years, $105 million left on his contract and won’t allocate for more than 21.6 percent of the salary cap in any of those three seasons.

Getting their own pick back (No. 10) is the most attractive part of this deal. We know they wanted a big: Khaman Maluach, Thomas Sorber or Asa Newell could all be options, or they can take a wing and go from there. Phoenix can also package 10 and 29 to move up a few spots if someone they like falls. They have options.

Grade: B-

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