KD on the move
Good job, Mat Ishbia.
Not only did he waste the last post-prime years of Kevin Durant's career on a Suns team which didn't need Durant, not only did he ruin the we-got-enough-already-pal afternoon of world events and also the NBA championship, but he did it with a boring trade.
Maybe a bad trade, unless his new general manager makes it a great one by the end of the week.
This is the guy who thinks he is important enough to interrupt a Game 7.
For Durant the Suns got Jalen Green from Houston, great, and also the No. 10 pick in the draft. They probably got the draft pick for taking on Jalen Green, who is now owed $105 million over the next three seasons from the team with the NBA's largest tax commitment.
The Suns will enjoy watching Green, chuffed that he's just been traded for Kevin Durant, chuck for his next contract.
Green, plays, the, same, position, as, Devin Booker. And Bradley Beal.
The Suns had to deal Durant, had to, and the Suns scored the image-saving shine of its own No. 10 pick back, a chance for its new scouting staff to show off, plus five second-round picks.
But they'll similarly hafff to extend Green when due, making palatable the first trade of a new regime. And they'll have to fit in new Sun Dillon Brooks (29, two-years and $40 million remaining on his deal).
Brooks, a shooting guard-sized swingman like Beal and Green and Devin Booker, will likely fit in as small-ball big forward with new Suns head coach Michigan State. Unless new Suns GM Michigan State has plans to move Brooks, a covetable two-way swingman, at the draft for more leverage, more picks, depth at positions that the Suns need, possibly a move up the draft from No. 10 for a specific prospect which State scouted.
The trade can be formally completed when the new league year begins July 6.
The five second-round picks going to the Suns are the No. 59 selection in this year's draft, two in 2026, one in 2030 (from Boston) and one in 2032, sources told ESPN's Bobby Marks.
That's a lot of work for a new GM, State shouldn't be done finagling new opportunities out of second-round selections.
And if the Suns do not make any more moves, resting on a single brush, then State's novice coach, State, certainly has a tough roster to mull over as State makes day-to-day coaching decisions. And State, in his first year calling the front office shots, has to give his rookie coach room to work. State needs space.
Five second-round picks for Ishbia and State to work with, still strong currency in the cap-shedding NBA, but we'll hear about better three and four-way deals on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and even on draft night. Opportunities the Suns lost not involving the Heat and two other chumps.
Instead, the Suns, State and Ishbia with their first trade, tried to control the draft. Tried to work from a position of strength ahead of the machinations. Durant is a nice watch but no championship certainty at this point. Phoenix should not expect the moon for him, but we will hear from the NBA's broadcast partner about the answers the novice front office didn't seek out.
It ain't State's fault, he's new to this. Just as it won't be State's fault in fall when the rookie head coach's opening-month lineup looks a little incomplete.
It is Ishbia's fault. The Suns are trading out of having three of the same player, and they traded one for another same player. Plus wherever Dillon Brooks wants to shoot. Because Brooks wants to shoot, and will.
This is Houston's hope: Durant upgrades Dillon. The 37-year old has less to do defensively on the Rockets, so he'll be better defensively. Houston needs buckets, but Durant will have less to do offensively at a defined position, his efficiency should improve.
That's if he stays healthy. Otherwise, Durant (brilliant marksmanship, needs help with other things) and Brooks (brilliantly disarms marksmen, needs help with other things) are kind the same, with however Green plays that particular evening tipping the scales.
Plus the No. 10 pick. Plus all those seconds, which NBA GMs actually like. And either Durant must fit in with Jabari Smith and Tari Eason and all that depth that stepped up for each other on the way toward 52 wins, or some of that depth ain't coming back. Durant makes over $52 million next year and is an unrestricted free agent and much can change between now and July 2026.
So Houston seems ideal, so what? Ideal for whom, sez Durant? He may want to be a free agent, just to be a free agent. Maybe he'll have an extension agreed to by the end of Game 7.
Maybe, because this is the NBA, Durant gives us the extension and the 2027 trade demand and why not. The 2027 Finals might be boring.
Houston can pitch from here because it drafted well: Amen Thompson, Alperen Şengün. Green was one the highest of Houston's selection and may turn into something to rely upon someday, he was awfully hearty for Houston in the regular season at times and should improve.
But around Booker and Brooks? Maybe Beal?
My first thought about this trade? At some point in Game 7, you'll be reminded of it. Maybe you check the emails or maybe ESPN will mention it to hype the halftime show.
And, no matter the score or deficit or look or appeal of Game 7, the Kevin Durant trade will feel like ONE TARILLIONBILLION YEARS AGO.
And it was from earlier that afternoon.
My second thought?
This Durant deal will feel similarly ancient by the first week of July, or even the end of the first night of the NBA draft.
(I just remembered there was one, the other day. Not the second night of the NBA draft, but the NBA draft.)
Because Phoenix won't be phinished, and deal up and down and around on Thursday and Friday.
Hopefully State and Ishbia will combine to find a proper home for Beal, construct a solid lineup for State in his first season as coach, and give Devin Booker (desperate to be Mr. Sun) the prime he deserves.
Hopefully our next winter won't be filled with regret over Houston giving up so much for a player the Rockets may not truly need. The top-ten pick, the Brooks, the second-rounders, it is a lot.
So is showing Amen Thompson what the NBA is all about. So is being around Reed Sheppard before every game. So is working with that young frontcourt. No miracles, just hoops.
EDITOR NOTE
Listen, I know their names aren't "Michigan State." But that's the journalism Phoenix deserves after dropping a deal that doesn't include Mohave King on the day of the last Finals game when I need to be outside seeing the sun and not looking names up.
MISS SUN
Had to play this song anyway, had to, it showed up as the first tune as I roundabouted out of West Lafayette on my way here. Drew Zingg on guitar. Drew Zingg.
Thank you for the ongoing support, have fun tonight!
