Latest news with #DevinBooker
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Suns' Stance on Trading Jalen Green Emerges After Kevin Durant Exit
Suns' Stance on Trading Jalen Green Emerges After Kevin Durant Exit originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Two years after being traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Phoenix Suns, Kevin Durant was traded for a second time in his career from the valley to Houston. Following an 85-60 record with the Suns, Durant is now a member of the Rockets. Advertisement Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Sunday that the Rockets are sending Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and five second-round picks (the No. 59 selection in this year's draft, two in 2026 and one in 2030) to the Suns. Durant will be an official member of the Rockets on July 6, when the new league year begins. Durant averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 62 games this season. The Suns finished with a 36-46 record that prompted Mike Budenholzer's firing and the subsequent trade of the future Hall of Famer. Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns forwardKevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports The addition of Green has apparently drawn some questions from fans and executives around the league. The guard is an intriguing option for the Suns, but there might be a possibility that he gets traded again this offseason. Advertisement Suns reporter John Gambadoro revealed on Sunday that the team is planning to pair Devin Booker with Green up in the backcourt. "The Suns do not plan to trade Jalen Green, he is expected to play alongside Devin Booker in the backcourt." Jalen Green finished his fourth season with the No. 2 seed in the West, the Houston Rockets. The former No. 2 overall pick averaged 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. He showed glimpses of his brilliance at times, but many thought Green still had new levels to unlock in his game. The Suns received huge compensation for Durant, but this may not be the only move they make this offseason. Related: Kevin Durant Finds Out He's Getting Traded During Live Appearance At Fanatics Fest This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kevin Durant's Time In Phoenix Likely To End Within 24–48 Hours
Kevin Durant's Time In Phoenix Likely To End Within 24–48 Hours originally appeared on Fadeaway World. After months of quiet tension and trade speculation, the Kevin Durant era in Phoenix is rapidly drawing to a close. According to Suns insider John Gambadoro, a Durant trade is 'very close,' with Phoenix continuing to engage multiple teams in hopes of finalizing a blockbuster deal within the next 24 to 48 hours. Advertisement "A Kevin Durant deal is very close. Phoenix continues to work with multiple teams to get the deal they want, and I expect it will happen today or tomorrow." This marks the most significant development in the Durant trade saga since murmurs of a split began surfacing around the February trade deadline. Back then, the Suns were still within striking distance of playoff positioning and hoped their star trio of Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal could make a late push. But as the season crumbled and Phoenix finished a disappointing 11th in the Western Conference, missing the postseason entirely, the writing was on the wall. The championship window Phoenix had hoped to pry open with Durant slammed shut, and both parties quietly began working toward an exit. Initially, five teams emerged as potential suitors: the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat, and New York Knicks. Among them, three were quickly identified as Durant's preferred long-term destinations: Houston, San Antonio, and Miami. These were the franchises Durant reportedly would be willing to commit to beyond his current contract. Advertisement At one point, the Spurs looked like the early frontrunners. Durant, according to Gambadoro's sources, viewed San Antonio, home to generational phenom Victor Wembanyama, as an ideal destination. The Spurs even prepared a potential offer featuring the No. 14 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and two young players. But Phoenix wasn't impressed. They rejected San Antonio's bid, signaling that they were aiming for a significantly higher return than the Spurs were willing to part with. From there, the Wolves made a push, despite reports that Durant had no interest in joining Minnesota. Their front office saw Durant as the perfect alpha to pair with rising superstar Anthony Edwards. An offer was even leaked, which included a mix of picks and rotation players, but Durant's lack of enthusiasm reportedly stalled negotiations. Sources around the league suggest the Wolves may have since exited the sweepstakes entirely, left confused by unclear direction. Advertisement Then came Houston. The Rockets have stockpiled assets over the past few seasons and were considered an ideal mix of win-now and future flexibility. For a moment, they and Durant shared mutual interest. However, Houston, like Masai Ujiri did with Kawhi Leonard years ago in Toronto, played the waiting game. They believed Phoenix had little leverage and could be pressured into a lesser deal. But the Suns stood firm, and a Houston offer was turned down as Phoenix continued demanding a premium. Miami, meanwhile, has been lurking throughout. Pat Riley and the Heat front office have made preliminary offers but have reportedly been unwilling to include prized young center Kel'el Ware, the No. 15th pick in the 2024 Draft. Ware is seen internally as a potential franchise cornerstone, and the Heat are reluctant to part with him even for a talent like Durant. Still, Miami remains in the hunt and could pivot at the last minute if the right framework materializes. Advertisement And then there's the Knicks, a team long linked to Durant, dating back to his 2019 free agency. Reports at the trade deadline suggested Durant was open to joining either the Celtics or the Knicks, but no formal offers ever surfaced. Since then, there has been little momentum out of New York, and unless something changes dramatically, the Knicks may remain more of a 'sleeper' than a serious threat in this chase. As it stands, Durant's departure from Phoenix now feels like a matter of 'when,' not 'if.' The Suns, already saddled with three massive contracts, are under immense pressure to reshape their roster around Booker while still remaining competitive. Shedding Durant's salary while recouping multiple assets, young players, picks, or both, is essential. Durant's time in the Valley has been marked by frustration more than triumph. Injuries, awkward fit alongside Booker and Beal, and a lack of depth sunk Phoenix's ambitions, and despite Durant averaging over 26 points per game in two seasons, the team never made it past the second round. Advertisement Now, with the Suns facing a pivotal offseason, it seems the end is imminent. And whether it's San Antonio, Miami, or a mystery team that swoops in at the eleventh hour, one thing is clear: Kevin Durant's final chapter in Phoenix is about to be written. Related: Kevin Durant's Next Destination: Ranking Spurs, Rockets, And Heat's Best Offers This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The Suns Do Not Want Bradley Beal To Return Next Season
The Suns Do Not Want Bradley Beal To Return Next Season originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Bradley Beal's time in Phoenix may soon come to a bitter end, if the Suns have their way. According to Suns insider John Gambadoro, the franchise is actively looking to move on from the three-time All-Star. Advertisement "They do NOT want him back. But he is untradable and if he does not agree to a buyout they may be stuck with him... They 100% don't want him and are looking at how to get out." This bombshell confirms the growing suspicion that Beal has become a financial and strategic burden for a Suns team that failed to live up to expectations. Despite forming a supposed 'superteam' with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, the Suns missed the 2025 playoffs entirely and finished with the worst record among the NBA's top-five highest spenders. Their $362 million payroll, the most expensive in league history, including luxury taxes, ended in disaster. Beal's performance has not justified his massive price tag. In two seasons with the Suns, he has appeared in just 106 games, struggling with injuries and inconsistency. His numbers, 17.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game, are respectable but far from elite for someone making superstar money. Advertisement To make matters worse, he still has two years and over $110 million remaining on his contract, including a no-trade clause that effectively blocks Phoenix from sending him elsewhere without his approval. This no-trade clause is a major thorn in the Suns' side. It gives Beal near-total control over his future and was a stipulation that came with him from Washington, where he signed a five-year supermax deal before being dealt to Phoenix. No team wants to take on that kind of financial commitment for a player who's no longer viewed as a franchise cornerstone, especially with the luxury tax penalties tightening under the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement. The Suns have already attempted to move Beal. League sources confirmed the front office explored trade options ahead of last season's deadline, but there were zero serious takers. Now, the new head coach Jordan Ott faces the unenviable task of figuring out what to do with a player the franchise clearly no longer wants. Advertisement Gambadoro revealed that one of the first questions the Suns asked prospective head coaching candidates was, 'What would you do with Beal?' That alone shows the organization's desperation to turn the page. Kevin Durant's future also hangs in the balance. The Spurs, Rockets, Heat, and other teams have reportedly expressed interest in the 36-year-old, and the Suns may be open to dealing him for a reset. But unlike Beal, Durant still has market value. The only player Phoenix appears committed to building around is Devin Booker, whose talent and youth make him the lone cornerstone in a franchise otherwise teetering on a full-scale rebuild. Advertisement Unless Beal agrees to a buyout, which would cost the Suns tens of millions, Phoenix may be forced to keep a player they don't want, consuming a massive chunk of their cap with no clear path forward. For now, the Bradley Beal experiment in the desert stands as one of the biggest misfires in recent NBA history. Related: Four NBA Teams Will Pursue Bradley Beal If The Suns Buyout His Contract This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kevin Durant trade grades for Rockets, Suns after blockbuster deal
The post Kevin Durant trade grades for Rockets, Suns after blockbuster deal appeared first on ClutchPoints. After weeks and weeks of discussions, the Kevin Durant trade is finally in the books. The Houston Rockets won the sweepstakes for the former league MVP, landing him in a blockbuster trade from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for a package centered around Jalen Green. Advertisement The full details of the trade are as follows. Rockets receive: Kevin Durant Suns receive: Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, 2025 first-round pick (No. 10 overall), five second-round picks With this deal, the Rockets hang onto a majority of the core that got them to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference last season. However, it became apparent during their playoff loss to the Golden State Warriors that they needed another scorer to help them put up points when the game slows down in the playoffs, and Durant does exactly that. On the Phoenix side, the Suns finally get to an outcome that seemed inevitable for the better part of the last year. Durant and the Suns seemed destined for a breakup throughout the disastrous season that was 2024-25 in Phoenix, and now they get to pivot to a younger core around Devin Booker and the No. 10 pick in the draft on Wednesday night. Advertisement Who won the trade and how does each team look moving forward? Here's a dive into the ramifications for both teams. Rockets take a big swing, become immediate contenders out West The pros of this deal for the rockets are clear. Durant is exactly what this team needed and Houston now has one of the best healthy rotations in the Western Conference. While Durant isn't the defender he once was during his Golden State days, he is not a liability on that end either. He should fit in with Houston's defensive identity and will add another long, rangy defender on the wing to Ime Udoka's defense. Losing Brooks hurts on the defensive end a little bit, but the Rockets should still be a very good unit on that end with great defenders like Amen Thompson, Fred VanVleet and Tari Eason in the rotation. Advertisement Offensively, the Rockets now have someone that they can go to late in the clock or when the possession slows down to bail them out. That was the biggest glaring weakness for Houston in its seven-game loss to the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs, and Durant solves that immediately. The Warriors were constantly able to bog the Rockets offense down, and their only answers were post-ups for Alperen Sengun and isolations for Jalen Green or VanVleet. Now, they have a bona fide star who they can throw the ball to in hopes for a bailout bucket. Giving up the No. 10 pick in this draft does hurt a little bit, but the Rockets still have young players in Cam Whitmore and Reed Sheppard that they can put into the rotation in hopes that they become quality players. Houston is making two bets with this move. First, they need Durant to be healthy, something that has been somewhat of a problem for him in recent years. Secondly, they need to get a contract extension nailed down with him before he enters the final year of his current deal in 2025-26. Advertisement The Rockets were on Durant's final list of preferred landing spots, so there shouldn't be too much trouble getting a deal done. While there are real downsides here for Houston, this is a calculated risk that they had to take after last season, and it got to take it without giving up its entire chest of assets. Grade: A- Suns move off of Kevin Durant, go younger in return Erik Williams-Imagn Images Phoenix isn't getting docked any points for losing Durant here, as that has been an implied outcome for many months now. However, the return for Durant is what makes this puzzling. Phoenix gets just one first-round pick in this deal, and while the No. 10 pick in this year's draft should net them a solid player, it isn't the kind of blue-chip asset that you would expect to be the centerpiece of a deal for a player of Durant's caliber. Advertisement The Suns are also taking a bet on Jalen Green, who is extremely talented as a scorer and is still just 23 years old. However, the G League Ignite product has already been in the NBA for four seasons and is still extremely inconsistent, as evidenced by his playoff struggles against the Warriors. Simply put, Green was a disaster for the Rockets of most of that series against Golden State, save for a 38-point explosion in Game 2. Outside of that game, he failed to score more than 12 points in a context, and it's fair to wonder whether those problems will persist in future series. The fit of Green next to Devin Booker, and maybe Bradley Beal if he is still on the team, is also questionable. Are they big enough to play the two of them next to a point guard without sacrificing a ton defensively? Can Green take a leap as a playmaker and a ball-handler that, quite frankly, would be pretty surprising to see at this point? Adding an empty-calorie scorer who still has a ways to go to round out his game couldn't have been the vision for the Suns in this trade. The five second-rounders are good assets for the Suns to have, and Brooks is a good veteran to have in the locker room with two years left on his deal. However, it feels like the Suns left a lot of meat on the bone here. Advertisement The Rockets are stacked with assets. In addition to Sheppard, Whitmore, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason, the Rockets also hold the Suns' unprotected 2027 first-round pick. While including someone like Amen Thompson in the trade was a bit of a stretch, how were none of those aforementioned assets included in the deal along with Green? The Suns' grade takes a hit here as a result of that failure. Grade: D Related: NBA hypes Pacers vs. Thunder with 9-minute 'Game 7: The movie' Related: NBA rumors: The Jalen Green 'poison pill' that will delay finalizing Kevin Durant trade
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Suns rumors: Phoenix's Jalen Green trade plan after Kevin Durant blockbuster
The post Suns rumors: Phoenix's Jalen Green trade plan after Kevin Durant blockbuster appeared first on ClutchPoints. After months of rumors, the Phoenix Suns finally managed to trade Kevin Durant, sending him to the Houston Rockets in a blockbuster deal on Sunday afternoon. In return, the Suns landed Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and five future second-round picks. While Durant being on the move was obviously the biggest piece of this trade, fans quickly wondered what this trade meant for Green. Advertisement The No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Green enjoyed the best season of his career last season, averaging 21 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game for the Rockets. Things went south for him in the postseason (13.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.9 APG, 37.2%), and Houston's front office felt comfortable moving him to Phoenix in this deal. The Suns could look to move Green and pick up even more assets, but it sounds like they intend on keeping him in town to play alongside Devin Booker. 'The Suns do not plan to trade Jalen Green, he is expected to play alongside Devin Booker in the backcourt,' John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix reported on X. Suns pairing Jalen Green with Devin Booker in new-look backcourt Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Green's game needs work in some areas, but the Suns are optimistic that playing him alongside Booker, who has a fairly similar playstyle, will help him grow. Booker's evolution as a playmaker should help create opportunities for Green, and Phoenix's new star guard is a strong enough isolation-scorer that opposing defenses won't be able to focus all of their attention just Booker. Advertisement If Green struggles with the Suns, they could simply look to trade him down the line, but with Durant gone, they are going to give this new backcourt duo a shot to succeed. This is only the start of Phoenix's offseason work, and it will be worth keeping tabs on them to see what moves they end up making now that they have finally found a new home for Durant. Related: Suns rumors: Bradley Beal is a goner after Kevin Durant trade Related: Ranking Phoenix Suns' 3 best 2025 NBA Draft targets with No. 10 pick
