Kevin Durant trade grades: Why Phoenix Suns 'got worked' in deal with Houston Rockets
Who won the Kevin Durant trade between the Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets?
Early reviews are very high on the Rockets winning the deal with the Suns, with one NBA writer writing that Phoenix "got worked in this deal."
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But not everyone was that down on the Suns' move to deal Durant.
While some writers handed Phoenix a D grade for the trade, they did receive a grade as high as a B for the deal, with some writers praising Phoenix for realizing the need to move on from Durant and its ability to get back what it did in a dry market.
Check out the early grades for the Suns and Rockets for the blockbuster NBA trade.
More: Vote in our poll: What grade do you give the Suns for the Kevin Durant trade?
Kevin Durant trade: What to know about new Suns players Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks
The Athletic: Suns earned a D for Kevin Durant trade, while Rockets landed an A+
Zach Harper wrote: "Plain and simple: The new, inexperienced Suns front office, with Brian Gregory as the new general manager, got worked in this deal. These should have been the Suns' goals in a Kevin Durant trade with the Rockets: Get (some of) your picks back (this year's, 2027, 2029), acquire Eason, gain some cap relief, bring in veterans that will help keep you competitive, Make sure you have a starting big man. Even with the 10th pick, originally their own, coming to them, they barely got any of this, and I'm not sure how much Brooks or Green even help with the makeup of this team. Green doesn't really fit into a team with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal on it. The 23-year-old is more of a long-term play than Beal, who has a couple years left on his deal, but we know that Beal has been blocking trades left and right with his no-trade clause. I'm not quite sure how much development in a proper role Green even gets."
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More: First-round talent interested in results of Kevin Durant trade, Suns draft
SB Nation: Suns received a D for Kevin Durant trade, while Rockets were given an A
Ricky O'Donnell wrote: "There's no path for Phoenix to compete in the West anytime soon, and the most likely scenario is Booker signs a huge extension and then asks out when he's older and has less value. The Suns could not have played this worse, starting with overpaying for Durant and then making the disastrous Beal trade, and Jusuf Nurkic deal. The Suns are in basketball hell, and their only salvation would be hitting a home run with this No. 10 pick."
More: 'They got what they wanted,' says Durant after Suns trade him to Rockets. What's next?
Bleacher Report: Suns landed a C- for Kevin Durant trade, while Rockets received an A+
Andy Baily wrote: "Of course, the Suns may deserve a bit more generous grading curve. The return suggests other teams may not have been willing to part with unprotected first-rounders for KD. And in that case, getting one of their own back is a good thing. With so many firsts around the league already spoken of through other deals, the five second-rounders Phoenix got could prove valuable, too. And of course, even if the Suns are saying Green is a long-term piece right now, there's always a chance he fetches more assets down the road. But right now, a Phoenix team that felt hopelessly stuck before this deal barely budged after making it."
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More: Here's what Dillon Brooks brings to Phoenix Suns
CBS Sports: Suns earned a C for Kevin Durant trade, while Rockets got an A
Brad Botkin wrote: "This is what Durant and Beal cost, and simply by virtue of these all-in moves going bust, the Suns cannot score anything more than an average grade. But given the position they were in, they did fine. To me, Green becomes the swing player in this trade. If he gets flipped for another decent return or taps into his full upside, at which point the Suns would have him on a bargain contract, Phoenix could look a lot better down the road than it does right now. But that remains to be seen."
More: Here's what Jalen Green brings to the Phoenix Suns
Sporting News: Suns received a B- for Kevin Durant trade, while Rockets landed an A-
Stephen Noh wrote: "Phoenix is also getting some decent veterans here. Green is a divisive player, but he can score. And Brooks will bring some much-needed defensive toughness to a group that did not compete hard enough on that end of the floor. Five second-round picks sound like a nice haul, too. But the value of those picks has gone down considerably over the past few seasons as NIL money has kept good second-round prospects out of the draft. This is a good first step to dig the Suns out of the hole that they created by trading for Durant and Bradley Beal in the first place. It will be a long process that will require patience."
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More: How the Phoenix Suns put Devin Booker on notice, and plenty more about Kevin Durant trade
Did the Phoenix Suns or Houston Rockets win the Kevin Durant trade? The answer, at least right now, is clear, according to NBA writers.
ESPN: Suns got a B for Kevin Durant trade, while Rockets received a B+
Kevin Pelton wrote: "The worst-case scenario for Phoenix was trading Durant for veterans who fit better alongside Beal and Booker in a misguided attempt to win now. Again, let's not rule out that happening down the line, but for now the Suns got what could be the best 2025 draft pick to change hands and the 23-year-old Green."
More: Kevin Durant trade winners and losers: Unpacking what's next for Rockets, Suns
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kevin Durant trade grades, reaction: Phoenix Suns 'got worked' in deal
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