Kevin Durant traded to Houston Rockets: Fantasy basketball impact
The Rockets sped up their timeline on Sunday, acquiring superstar Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and multiple second-round picks.
After a hard-fought seven-game series that sent the young Rockets packing in the first round, getting Durant alleviates the inconsistent shot-making and crunch-time follies that stunted their growth.
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Phoenix, on the other hand, moves on from a forgetful era in which the trio of Booker-Durant-Beal amounted to one first-round exit and missed the playoffs this season.
Let's discuss the fantasy implications of the blockbuster trade on the heels of what's sure to be an exciting close to the NBA Finals on Sunday night.
Houston Rockets
When the Rockets were rumored to be interested in Durant last week, my initial thoughts were:
'I'm a fan of Durant slotting into the PF spot in Houston because it makes its offense more dynamic. It has all of the other pieces covered — now, it's about whether the Rockets want to run it back with the same young unit or make a splash. Either way, KD still thrives from a fantasy perspective with the Rockets.'
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My stance hasn't wavered now that the deals have been executed. I expect Durant to be a late-first-rounder in fantasy, and if he stays healthy, he should finish within the top 15 (he hasn't finished less than 12th in per-game value since his rookie season).
The values for Amen Thompson, Alperen Şengün and Fred VanVleet remain the same, if not getting slightly better, because of Durant's arrival. Adding one of the most efficient scorers ever lightens the offensive burden. The gravity and attention KD brings, even as he's turning 37 this fall, will help the offense flow more fluidly and likely lead to more assists and better ball movement.
The biggest winner is Tari Eason. A per-minute beast who easily racks up fantasy production is a player I'm expecting to see a boost in minutes and opportunity now that Dillon Brooks is gone. I think he's the more natural fit at SF than Jabari Smith Jr.
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I think Smith is the player most negatively impacted on Houston. He was great off the bench for the Rockets in the post season so that could stick as his preferred role with so much fire power in the starting unit.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns' hands were tied, as Durant is an aging star with one year left on his deal. They didn't have much bargaining power, but to see them only come back with the 10th pick of the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft plus Green, Brooks and second-round picks is a bit disappointing. Like you couldn't get not one of Tari Eason, Jabari Smith, Cam Whitmore or Reed Sheppard?!?!
Still, I like Jalen Green's chances of improving his fantasy game with a change in scenery.
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Green is durable, having played at least 67 games across his first four seasons. While availability is key for any format, Green is a player I prefer in points leagues because most of his value is derived from scoring.
He finished 79th in points leagues, averaging 31 fantasy points per game last season. Scoring shouldn't be a problem in Phoenix, with 18 FGA and 29% usage per game now vacated in the offense without KD. With such a light and uninspiring frontcourt, I'd expect the Suns to increase their pace and lean on a three-guard lineup led by Booker.
For category leagues, fantasy managers need to see more efficiency gains. He's never shot better than 42% from the field, but it's nice to see Green's been working on his mid-range game this summer. Having vets like Booker and Beal should help him round out his game with better decision-making and shot selection. Improving efficiency would make up for the middling rebounds, assists and lack of stocks he provides.
I'm higher on Booker after this trade, moving him up to a mid-second rounder since he'll generate so much offense for this team. Beal carries too much injury risk to get excited, but his stock didn't go down in this scenario. Brooks isn't a factor for me in any format.
Let's see what the Suns do in the NBA Draft; otherwise, this deal should be the start of an epic summer in the Association.
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