June 23, 2025 • 11 mins
Kevin Durant will become a Houston Rocket on July 6, but the Phoenix Suns are sending 15-time NBA All-Star Kevin Durant for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in this year's draft and five second-round picks. The Houston Chronicle's Danielle Lerner joins The A-Team to talk all things surrounding the trade!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
A lot of chatter about the newest Rockets Kevin Durant,
although unofficial for a couple of weeks, likely with the
league as it is, the draft comes up on Wednesday,
the tenth pick will be made. It's likely going to
the Phoenix Suns in that deal, along with Jalen Green,
Dylan Brooks, and five second round picks over the next
several seasons. But Kevin Durant to Houston, as reported over
(00:20):
the weekend, the Rockets definitely saying something loudly to the
rest of the league. And to that end, we travel
to the Houston Chronicle Rockets beat writer Danielle Lerner for
some insight on this discussion. Where do you think things
finally came to let's go ahead and pull the trigger
from inside the Rockets group in that they felt good
about not making a move. They obviously feel good about
(00:42):
making this move. What do you think kind of tipped
it in the let's go ahead and pull the trigger.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
I think it just.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Came down to being able to keep the majority of
their young core attacked. You know, obviously, I think the
Rockets would have liked to keep Jalen Green if they could.
They were not shopping him by any means. They were
receiving interest from various teams around the league on Jalen,
so you know, they knew that if they really felt
the need to get him out the door, they could.
(01:08):
But this is a thing where it was like, Okay,
if we could just give up one of those guys
from that young core, you know, that ends up pretty
much being a steal, especially when you have a guy
like Kevin Durant who's going.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
To come in and immediately be able to make an impact.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
You know. I know there's the questions about his age
and his longevity, but he's been doing this in the
league for as long as he has at this level
because he is Kevin Durant. So I think that the
Rockets should feel pretty good about what they gave up
in this yield?
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Is that the word you would use a steal? This
trade the Rocket's pulled off.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
I mean, you know, every highsight is twenty twenty on everything,
but as of right now, I think I wouldn't be
quite that excusive in it.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
But I think it is a good deal.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Yeah, I think we agree, And I think the interesting
part is how much email Udoka maybe factored into this.
Ye're hearing reports saying, you know, he went to management
and kind of decided to deviate from what had been
the course, which is to let all these young players
develop together. How much does that really show the sway
(02:17):
that he has, especially when you consider that he just
got made paid one of the highest coaches in the
association less than a week before this trade goes down.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Yeah, I mean, I think that was a very shrewd
piece of business that the Rockets did, not only because
of the interest that the Knicks were reportedly showing in
hiring Udoka, but because they knew.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
The relationship that he had with Durant, and you know.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
If anything was going to potentially tip things in their favor.
Because they really didn't want to have to budge on
the offer that they were giving the Sun, they needed
Durant to use his voice and leverage in this deal
as well. And it sounds like that's exactly what happened.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
And Durant kind of.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Said like, look, these are my third destinations. You can
tech me the deal me wherever you want, but I'm
not going to make it easy. I'm not just going
to say like yeah, I'll play ball and all time.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
And extension with any old team.
Speaker 5 (03:06):
You know, Durant wants to play for Emy, he wants
to be with Royal.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Ivy is very good friend, wants the potential to you
know Rehen and I with Steven Adams, possibly with Jeff
Green if Jeff Green resigns as a free agent. So
I think on both sides, with e May and with Kadi,
there was a lot of mutual interest there. And I think,
you know, rafel Stone and Tilman Bertita gave Udoka an
extension because he has gotten the results on the court
(03:32):
end a story, and I think like that counts for
a lot.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Let's take it on to the court next year when
they open up the season or on their way into
the playoffs. What do you think is something significant specific
to what he will do offensively for this team sets
they like to run, where he's going to find a
success that maybe they were lacking last year when he's
out there with the other four.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
I mean, I think the biggest difference you're going to
see is with Alpha and Shangun. You saw shanegon have
to take on a lot of the offensive load this
last year, even more so than he had done in
his previous three years. And you know he obviously performed
well through that, but that's a lot and just knowing
that you're gonna have Kevin Durant out there, and he's
naturally going to attract double teams, he invites double teams,
(04:12):
he's perfectly okay with playing through them. You know, I
think that's just going to open up a lot of things.
And then his shooting ability as well. Right, Houston obviously
struggled massively with outside shooting and with overall spacing, both
in the regular season and the playoffs. Now you've got
a guy who's a prolific multi level scorer, one of
the deadliest mid range shots in the game, pretty much
(04:33):
shoot over anybody.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
And if you moved Barr Smith Junior into the.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Starting lineup into that vacant hole as well, you know
that's he's basically in the same archetype as KDI.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
So you have two guys who.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Could do that, and I think that's gonna count for
a lot when you know they've traded away two of
their best three point shooters and Jalen and Dylan.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
Yeah, I might be jumping ahead a little bit, but
I'm just anxious, and I'm admittedly biased because I like
him how much does this mean that we're gonna get
maybe some of the minutes go to a Cam Whitmore
that we weren't seeing, because I mean, if for no
other reason, Jalen Green was taking the lion's share of those,
he's got to feel like. I just remember looking at
(05:13):
him during the playoff series against the Warriors. He looked miserable,
not saying I knew anything or heard anything. He didn't
say that, obviously, but I just feel like that has
been his storyline since he arrived in Houston. I can't
get on the floor. This probably changes that.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
No, Oh, definitely Dylan being gone also, you know, there's
just been such a log damn of minutes at the
wing for the Rockets the last several years, even before
Cam got there, you know, that was that was happening.
So I definitely think that he's going to get some
more playings on him and Reid both. You know, that
was the goal for both of them, that both sone
(05:47):
and Udoka said when the season ended, and I think
they're going to hold true to that. So I think
what More definitely gets into that second unit more regularly,
so does Shepherd. And there's still a chance that the
Rockets could go and additional depth with like a mid
level exception and free agency will also off to see.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
What happens with Aaron Holiday.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
But I think regardless, yeah, Cam and Reider are going
to get way more time on the court.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Danielle Lerner, Houston Chronicle beat writer for your Houston Rockets.
Do you think they will be able to work something
out with Fred that is very team friendly and similarly
with Kevin on an extension, He's do better than fifty
million this season, could be in line for one hundred
and twenty plus over the two seasons that follow via
an extension. But do you think all parties, recognizing what
(06:34):
they could be about to start over the next three
years championship level basketball, they might be able to do
something that you know, keeps them from an apron there
happier with than the worst one.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Yeah, definitely, I think that was kind of the goal
from the start, even before you know the KD talks
heated up.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
The Rockets won them out their business in a very
specific order.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Getting the Adams extension done first was really good about
both opening things up for potential trade and you know,
giving them a firm foundation for what they could negotiate
with Fred, so I think that they are trending towards,
you know, declining that option and structuring a more team friendly,
longer term deal that may be frontloaded, just.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Like Adams is where you know, they're.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Paying Fred more this upcoming season than in the following
years of the deal. But that's also because they have
to be mindful of extending char extending Javari Smith Junior
next summer, looking to you know, extending a Men Thompson.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
So, I don't think the.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Rockets care if they have to pay the luxury texts
this season, but they would be mindful of in following
seasons being repeaters.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
Let's go back to you know who kind of made
this happen because we talked about how E may sway
with with his power, you know, influence this trade happening.
How much was this Kevin Durant Because we kept hearing about,
all right, here's his preferred destinations, but he doesn't want
to go play Minnesota, and he doesn't want to go
play here are this team's not willing to give this up.
It felt like to me san Antonio kept getting put
(08:07):
out there attached to his name, and I never know
how much truth is in these because the reports seemingly
changed from day to day, but it looked to me,
and especially when you gauge his reaction on camera, he
really wanted to play with the Rockets, I think more
than anyone else. Now that all the dust has begun
to settle.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Yeah, I mean, I can't really speak to San Antonio's
involvement at all, but I do think, like I said before,
that Katie has really been open to this idea of
playing with the Rockets, and specifically for Emeo Dooka for
a long time.
Speaker 5 (08:36):
He even said it back in February when the Sons
came to play the Rockets.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
You know, he was extremely complimentary when he was asked
about what the Rockets have built here. You know, he
had worked out with with Jalen and Jibari or the summer.
He's been an admirer of Fred for a long time
since you know, they played each other in playoffs, and so,
you know, I think I think that there's multiple reasons
and multiple people here who KD just saw himself being
(09:04):
a part of. And it's also really appealing to join
a team that's on the rise, right. I think that
with Kadie's edition, like the Rockets are real contenders next
year to you know, battle this under at the top
of the West, and I think that's enticing. Obviously coming
from that situation in Phoenix, anything was kind of be
(09:24):
going to be an improvement. But I think with the
trajectory of the Rockets are on, you know, who wouldn't
want to be.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
A part of that.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
On the other side of it, real quickly, what do
you think the future holds for Jalen Green. It's a
tough spot roster wise, and that the best three players
on the Phoenix Suns all played the same position he
along with Bradley Beal and Devin Booker. He's under contract
the next three years, may or may not be a
long term Sun, But just the basketball side of it,
what do you think lies in Jalen Green's future?
Speaker 5 (09:52):
I mean, I think he also was trending upward.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
You know, we saw him get so much better defensively
and offensively that season. He had the best offense and
defensive ratings of his career. He really improved as a playmaker.
I think that's something that could potentially help him if
he ends up staying in Phoenix. Is the ball handling
experience that he got this year, particularly when Fred was out.
You know, I think that really expanded his game and
kind of forced him to be a little bit more
(10:16):
patient with his decision making, kind of expands court vision,
and so that's something that could potentially differentiate him and
work really really well to compliment Devin Booker if they
end up playing in.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
The same backcourt. I also think it's possible.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
That the Suns continue to, you know, look for the
possibility of flipping him to a third.
Speaker 5 (10:33):
Team, not because.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
They don't appreciate the player he is, but like you said,
he kind of has a redundant position, redundant role, and
you know, the salary obviously it's not the highest that
there is.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
It's not the worst deal.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
The Rockets structure his deal that way for a reason
to make him a possible trade chip. But I think
the Suns, if they're in total rebuild mode, depending on
who they draft as well and how they feel about that,
you know, they could end up sending him away to
another team, the A team.
Speaker 5 (11:07):
On Sports Talk seven ninety
A lot of chatter about the newest Rockets Kevin Durant,
although unofficial for a couple of weeks, likely with the
league as it is, the draft comes up on Wednesday,
the tenth pick will be made. It's likely going to
the Phoenix Suns in that deal, along with Jalen Green,
Dylan Brooks, and five second round picks over the next
several seasons. But Kevin Durant to Houston, as reported over
(00:20):
the weekend, the Rockets definitely saying something loudly to the
rest of the league. And to that end, we travel
to the Houston Chronicle Rockets beat writer Danielle Lerner for
some insight on this discussion. Where do you think things
finally came to let's go ahead and pull the trigger
from inside the Rockets group in that they felt good
about not making a move. They obviously feel good about
(00:42):
making this move. What do you think kind of tipped
it in the let's go ahead and pull the trigger.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
I think it just.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Came down to being able to keep the majority of
their young core attacked. You know, obviously, I think the
Rockets would have liked to keep Jalen Green if they could.
They were not shopping him by any means. They were
receiving interest from various teams around the league on Jalen,
so you know, they knew that if they really felt
the need to get him out the door, they could.
(01:08):
But this is a thing where it was like, Okay,
if we could just give up one of those guys
from that young core, you know, that ends up pretty
much being a steal, especially when you have a guy
like Kevin Durant who's going.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
To come in and immediately be able to make an impact.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
You know. I know there's the questions about his age
and his longevity, but he's been doing this in the
league for as long as he has at this level
because he is Kevin Durant. So I think that the
Rockets should feel pretty good about what they gave up
in this yield?
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Is that the word you would use a steal? This
trade the Rocket's pulled off.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
I mean, you know, every highsight is twenty twenty on everything,
but as of right now, I think I wouldn't be
quite that excusive in it.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
But I think it is a good deal.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Yeah, I think we agree, And I think the interesting
part is how much email Udoka maybe factored into this.
Ye're hearing reports saying, you know, he went to management
and kind of decided to deviate from what had been
the course, which is to let all these young players
develop together. How much does that really show the sway
(02:17):
that he has, especially when you consider that he just
got made paid one of the highest coaches in the
association less than a week before this trade goes down.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Yeah, I mean, I think that was a very shrewd
piece of business that the Rockets did, not only because
of the interest that the Knicks were reportedly showing in
hiring Udoka, but because they knew.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
The relationship that he had with Durant, and you know.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
If anything was going to potentially tip things in their favor.
Because they really didn't want to have to budge on
the offer that they were giving the Sun, they needed
Durant to use his voice and leverage in this deal
as well. And it sounds like that's exactly what happened.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
And Durant kind of.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Said like, look, these are my third destinations. You can
tech me the deal me wherever you want, but I'm
not going to make it easy. I'm not just going
to say like yeah, I'll play ball and all time.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
And extension with any old team.
Speaker 5 (03:06):
You know, Durant wants to play for Emy, he wants
to be with Royal.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Ivy is very good friend, wants the potential to you
know Rehen and I with Steven Adams, possibly with Jeff
Green if Jeff Green resigns as a free agent. So
I think on both sides, with e May and with Kadi,
there was a lot of mutual interest there. And I think,
you know, rafel Stone and Tilman Bertita gave Udoka an
extension because he has gotten the results on the court
(03:32):
end a story, and I think like that counts for
a lot.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
Let's take it on to the court next year when
they open up the season or on their way into
the playoffs. What do you think is something significant specific
to what he will do offensively for this team sets
they like to run, where he's going to find a
success that maybe they were lacking last year when he's
out there with the other four.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
I mean, I think the biggest difference you're going to
see is with Alpha and Shangun. You saw shanegon have
to take on a lot of the offensive load this
last year, even more so than he had done in
his previous three years. And you know he obviously performed
well through that, but that's a lot and just knowing
that you're gonna have Kevin Durant out there, and he's
naturally going to attract double teams, he invites double teams,
(04:12):
he's perfectly okay with playing through them. You know, I
think that's just going to open up a lot of things.
And then his shooting ability as well. Right, Houston obviously
struggled massively with outside shooting and with overall spacing, both
in the regular season and the playoffs. Now you've got
a guy who's a prolific multi level scorer, one of
the deadliest mid range shots in the game, pretty much
(04:33):
shoot over anybody.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
And if you moved Barr Smith Junior into the.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Starting lineup into that vacant hole as well, you know
that's he's basically in the same archetype as KDI.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
So you have two guys who.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Could do that, and I think that's gonna count for
a lot when you know they've traded away two of
their best three point shooters and Jalen and Dylan.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
Yeah, I might be jumping ahead a little bit, but
I'm just anxious, and I'm admittedly biased because I like
him how much does this mean that we're gonna get
maybe some of the minutes go to a Cam Whitmore
that we weren't seeing, because I mean, if for no
other reason, Jalen Green was taking the lion's share of those,
he's got to feel like. I just remember looking at
(05:13):
him during the playoff series against the Warriors. He looked miserable,
not saying I knew anything or heard anything. He didn't
say that, obviously, but I just feel like that has
been his storyline since he arrived in Houston. I can't
get on the floor. This probably changes that.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
No, Oh, definitely Dylan being gone also, you know, there's
just been such a log damn of minutes at the
wing for the Rockets the last several years, even before
Cam got there, you know, that was that was happening.
So I definitely think that he's going to get some
more playings on him and Reid both. You know, that
was the goal for both of them, that both sone
(05:47):
and Udoka said when the season ended, and I think
they're going to hold true to that. So I think
what More definitely gets into that second unit more regularly,
so does Shepherd. And there's still a chance that the
Rockets could go and additional depth with like a mid
level exception and free agency will also off to see.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
What happens with Aaron Holiday.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
But I think regardless, yeah, Cam and Reider are going
to get way more time on the court.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Danielle Lerner, Houston Chronicle beat writer for your Houston Rockets.
Do you think they will be able to work something
out with Fred that is very team friendly and similarly
with Kevin on an extension, He's do better than fifty
million this season, could be in line for one hundred
and twenty plus over the two seasons that follow via
an extension. But do you think all parties, recognizing what
(06:34):
they could be about to start over the next three
years championship level basketball, they might be able to do
something that you know, keeps them from an apron there
happier with than the worst one.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Yeah, definitely, I think that was kind of the goal
from the start, even before you know the KD talks
heated up.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
The Rockets won them out their business in a very
specific order.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Getting the Adams extension done first was really good about
both opening things up for potential trade and you know,
giving them a firm foundation for what they could negotiate
with Fred, so I think that they are trending towards,
you know, declining that option and structuring a more team friendly,
longer term deal that may be frontloaded, just.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Like Adams is where you know, they're.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Paying Fred more this upcoming season than in the following
years of the deal. But that's also because they have
to be mindful of extending char extending Javari Smith Junior
next summer, looking to you know, extending a Men Thompson.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
So, I don't think the.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Rockets care if they have to pay the luxury texts
this season, but they would be mindful of in following
seasons being repeaters.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
Let's go back to you know who kind of made
this happen because we talked about how E may sway
with with his power, you know, influence this trade happening.
How much was this Kevin Durant Because we kept hearing about,
all right, here's his preferred destinations, but he doesn't want
to go play Minnesota, and he doesn't want to go
play here are this team's not willing to give this up.
It felt like to me san Antonio kept getting put
(08:07):
out there attached to his name, and I never know
how much truth is in these because the reports seemingly
changed from day to day, but it looked to me,
and especially when you gauge his reaction on camera, he
really wanted to play with the Rockets, I think more
than anyone else. Now that all the dust has begun
to settle.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Yeah, I mean, I can't really speak to San Antonio's
involvement at all, but I do think, like I said before,
that Katie has really been open to this idea of
playing with the Rockets, and specifically for Emeo Dooka for
a long time.
Speaker 5 (08:36):
He even said it back in February when the Sons
came to play the Rockets.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
You know, he was extremely complimentary when he was asked
about what the Rockets have built here. You know, he
had worked out with with Jalen and Jibari or the summer.
He's been an admirer of Fred for a long time
since you know, they played each other in playoffs, and so,
you know, I think I think that there's multiple reasons
and multiple people here who KD just saw himself being
(09:04):
a part of. And it's also really appealing to join
a team that's on the rise, right. I think that
with Kadie's edition, like the Rockets are real contenders next
year to you know, battle this under at the top
of the West, and I think that's enticing. Obviously coming
from that situation in Phoenix, anything was kind of be
(09:24):
going to be an improvement. But I think with the
trajectory of the Rockets are on, you know, who wouldn't
want to be.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
A part of that.
Speaker 1 (09:31):
On the other side of it, real quickly, what do
you think the future holds for Jalen Green. It's a
tough spot roster wise, and that the best three players
on the Phoenix Suns all played the same position he
along with Bradley Beal and Devin Booker. He's under contract
the next three years, may or may not be a
long term Sun, But just the basketball side of it,
what do you think lies in Jalen Green's future?
Speaker 5 (09:52):
I mean, I think he also was trending upward.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
You know, we saw him get so much better defensively
and offensively that season. He had the best offense and
defensive ratings of his career. He really improved as a playmaker.
I think that's something that could potentially help him if
he ends up staying in Phoenix. Is the ball handling
experience that he got this year, particularly when Fred was out.
You know, I think that really expanded his game and
kind of forced him to be a little bit more
(10:16):
patient with his decision making, kind of expands court vision,
and so that's something that could potentially differentiate him and
work really really well to compliment Devin Booker if they
end up playing in.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
The same backcourt. I also think it's possible.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
That the Suns continue to, you know, look for the
possibility of flipping him to a third.
Speaker 5 (10:33):
Team, not because.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
They don't appreciate the player he is, but like you said,
he kind of has a redundant position, redundant role, and
you know, the salary obviously it's not the highest that
there is.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
It's not the worst deal.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
The Rockets structure his deal that way for a reason
to make him a possible trade chip. But I think
the Suns, if they're in total rebuild mode, depending on
who they draft as well and how they feel about that,
you know, they could end up sending him away to
another team, the A team.
Speaker 5 (11:07):
On Sports Talk seven ninety
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