Rockets 'Went Back on Their Word' to Strike Kevin Durant Trade With Suns

The Houston Rockets went against their word when acquiring Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns.

Mar 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) reacts after a play during the first half against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Phoenix Suns had a roster makeover this offseason. They struck the biggest deal of the summer by sending Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets, returning Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick (Khaman Maluach) and five second-round picks. The club also bought out Bradley Beal's pricey contract.

The Suns are retooling around Devin Booker -- their franchise superstar who is in the prime years of his career. Adding young talent and draft picks, all while lowering their payroll, is a great way to build short- and long-term flexibility.

Phoenix can finally craft an identity beyond building a "super team" around Durant. They have a direction as a franchise, other than underwhelming results from a team that was well-crafted on paper.

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) and Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) fight for position in the first half at Footprint Center. | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Rockets 'went back on their word' to trade with Suns

The Rockets went against their identity, too. ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel recently wrote about how Houston's leadership, for years, wanted to build its squad from the ground up. Swinging a trade for an all-time talent like Durant goes against that idea.

“For years, the Rockets preached internal growth and sustainability," Siegel writes. "No matter what questions he faced, Stone and owner Tilman Fertitta always shot down the speculation that this franchise would leverage assets they’ve stockpiled through the years during their rebuild to add a superstar in trade talks.

“Well, the Rockets’ leadership went back on their word, as they pulled off the biggest trade of the offseason by acquiring 15-time All-Star and two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns. This deal came at the cost of Green, Dillon Brooks, the 10th-overall pick in this year’s draft (Khaman Maluach), and five second-round picks.”

Durant has won an MVP, two Finals MVPs, a handful of scoring titles and is a 15-time All-Star. He's an all-time great. He's been a defining member of this era. The Rockets felt like Durant could put them over the edge as a contender. It's not surprising they went back on their word.

The Suns should be thankful they did, too. Could Phoenix have gotten a better package in return from someone else? Maybe. However, Durant landed at one of his preferred destinations. The Suns are now in a position to retool around Booker, and aren't tied down to an expensive trio that led to just 36 wins last season.