Kevin Durant’s Shocking Trade Talks: Latest Updates, Potential Destinations & What It Means for the NBA

NBA superstar Kevin Durant is on the move again. Multiple reports confirm that the Phoenix Suns have agreed to send the 15-time All-Star to the Houston Rockets in exchange for guard Jalen Green, forward Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and five future second-round selections. The blockbuster ends Durant’s two-season stint in the Valley and immediately reshapes both franchises’ short- and long-term outlooks. What Houston gains At 36, Durant remains one of the league’s most efficient high-volume scorers, averaging 26.6 points on 52.7 percent shooting and 42.7 percent from three last season. His arrival gives the Rockets the go-to playoffs-tested finisher they lacked while accelerating a rebuild that already features Alperen Şengün, Jabari Smith Jr. and Cam Whitmore. Pairing Durant’s shot-making with Fred VanVleet’s playmaking instantly raises Houston’s ceiling and should make the club a factor in the crowded Western Conference race. Why Phoenix pulled the trigger New general manager Brian Gregory inherited the NBA’s priciest roster and faced cap figures north of $200 million next season. Off-loading Durant’s $54.7 million salary gives the Suns flexibility while restocking the asset cupboard depleted in the 2023 trade that brought Durant from Brooklyn. Green (21.0 ppg, 42 percent from three) provides an athletic, still-ascending scorer to flank franchise cornerstone Devin Booker, and Brooks adds badly needed perimeter defense and toughness. The No. 10 pick gives Phoenix its first top-10 selection since drafting Deandre Ayton in 2018. Rotation ripple effects • Suns: Green and Booker project as a dynamic but undersized scoring backcourt, making additional moves likely—especially with Bradley Beal’s future unclear. Brooks’ minutes could overlap with Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale, two impending free agents. • Rockets: Coach Ime Udoka can deploy Durant at power forward alongside Smith Jr., creating a position-less front line. Expect VanVleet–Whitmore–Durant–Smith Jr.–Şengün to close games, pushing Amen Thompson and Dillon Brooks (now outbound) to bench roles unless another deal follows. Draft-night stakes The Suns reclaim their own 2025 first-rounder, originally dealt in the 2023 Durant acquisition, giving them a second lottery ticket and optionality if they pivot into a further youth movement. Houston still owns Phoenix’s unprotected 2027 pick, protecting the Rockets’ window even if Durant eventually declines. Historical context Durant joins Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O’Neal and LeBron James as former Finals MVPs traded multiple times in their primes. Since leaving Oklahoma City in 2016, the veteran has now suited up for Golden State, Brooklyn, Phoenix and, soon, Houston—four teams in nine seasons. What’s next Both teams have until July 6 to finalize paperwork once the league’s moratorium lifts. League insiders say Phoenix isn’t done, eyeing additional deals involving Beal or Jusuf Nurkic to balance the roster, while Houston could explore flipping remaining assets for a veteran point-of-attack defender. Bottom line Phoenix resets around Booker without a full teardown, and Houston places an elite scorer atop a promising core. If Durant stays healthy, the Rockets vault into immediate playoff contention; if not, the Suns’ bet on youth and draft capital could prove prescient. Either way, the NBA’s summer fireworks just began—and Kevin Durant is again at the center of them.