Suns Deal Kevin Durant to Rockets in Massive Blockbuster Trade

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 28: Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns reacts during the second half of game four of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Footprint Center on April 28, 2024 in...
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 28: Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns reacts during the second half of game four of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Footprint Center on April 28, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Timberwolves defeated the Suns 122-116 and win the series 4-0. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.
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Yahoo

8 minutes ago

• Yahoo

Heat again comes up empty in pursuit of Kevin Durant. Suns trading Durant to Rockets

The Miami Heat again pursued future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant, but the Heat again missed out on the 15-time All-Star forward. The Phoenix Suns are trading Durant to the Houston Rockets, ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Sunday afternoon. The Rockets are sending Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 overall pick in this year's NBA Draft and five second-round picks to the Suns to land Durant. The Heat was among the teams that engaged the Suns on a potential trade for Durant after being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. But Miami was only willing to go so far in what players and picks it included in its offer for Durant at this stage of his career, as he'll turn 37 years old on Sept. 29. The Heat improved its initial offer for Durant and that offer received serious consideration, according to a source close to the situation. But in the end, the Suns chose to take the Rockets' offer over the Heat's offer. Kel'el Ware was among the sticking points in the Heat's negotiations with the Suns, according to a league source. The Heat was reluctant to include Ware in its offers for Durant and that roadblock in negotiations helped lead the Suns to picking the Rockets' trade package. The 21-year-old Ware was a bright spot for the Heat last season, making the NBA's All-Rookie Second Team and closing the season as a starter. He averaged 9.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game in 64 appearances (36 starts) as a rookie last season. In addition, Charania reported: 'The Heat made multiple offers for Durant but ultimately turned down the opportunity to place Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic, Haywood Highsmith, the No. 20 pick and other draft assets in a deal, sources said.' This marked at least the fourth time that Miami has attempted to add Durant to its roster over the past decade. The Heat tried to land Durant in free agency during the 2016 offseason (he ended up signing with the Golden State Warriors), then tried to acquire him in 2022 (when he requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets and then ended up being traded to the Suns), and then made an offer for him this past season ahead of the February trade deadline (the Suns ended up keeping Durant for the rest of the season) before again pursuing him this offseason but again coming up empty. The Heat was among Durant's preferred trade destinations, along with the Rockets and San Antonio Spurs. Durant, who has just one season left on his contract, is now eligible to sign a two-year contract extension worth as much as $122 million with the Rockets. The addition of Durant would have helped the Heat's struggling offense, as Miami has finished with a bottom-10 offensive rating in each of the last three regular seasons. Durant is still among the NBA's elite scorers even at the back-end of his career. He averaged 26.6 points, six rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 52.7% from the field and 43% on six three-point attempts per game this past season for Suns in his 17th NBA season. Durant and three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic were the only two players in the league who averaged at least 25 points per game while shooting better than 50% from the field and better than 40% from three-point range last regular season. Instead, the Heat enters the busy part of the NBA offseason still searching for avenues to improve its roster. Aside from being armed with the No. 20 overall pick in Wednesday's first round of the NBA Draft, the Heat also already has 13 players under standard contracts for next season: Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro, Andrew Wiggins, Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, Kyle Anderson, Haywood Highsmith, Nikola Jovic, Ware, Kevin Love, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Pelle Larsson and Keshad Johnson (fully nonguaranteed $2 million salary for next season). The only two players on the Heat's season-ending 15-man standard roster who are set to enter free agency this summer are Davion Mitchell (restricted free agent) and Alec Burks (unrestricted free agent). The Heat is currently operating above the salary cap and stands just $4 million away from the luxury-tax threshold. Unless the Heat sheds salary, it would only have minimum contracts, one of the midlevel exceptions (either the $14.1 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception or the $5.7 taxpayer million mid-level exception) and possibly the $5.1 million bi-annual exception to offer outside free agents this offseason. The two-round NBA Draft will be held on Wednesday (first round) and Thursday (second round), with league-wide free-agent negotiations allowed to begin on June 30 at 6 p.m. The Heat, which does not currently own a second-round selection in this year's draft, is permitted to trade the 20th pick before the upcoming draft and that possibility certainly remains on the table.

USA Today

20 minutes ago

• USA Today

Podcast: Live reaction to Rockets trading for Suns star Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant, a perennial All-Star, former NBA MVP, and future Hall of Famer, will play for the Rockets. Sunday's The Lager Line podcast reacts to Houston's blockbuster trade with Phoenix. The Phoenix Suns are trading superstar forward Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft, and five second-round picks, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Sunday. Due to the inclusion of Green, the deal cannot be finalized until July, since it requires waiting until the young guard's elevated 2025-26 salary is on the books. A 6-foot-11 forward, Durant averaged 26.6 points (52.7% FG, 43.0% on 3-pointers), 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game last season, and he earned All-Star honors for the 15th time in his Hall of Fame career. The former NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) turns 37 years old in September, and his current contract runs through next season. The Rockets are coming off a 52-30 season and a No. 2 finish in the Western Conference, and their hope is that the addition of Durant will lift them into title contention next season. With that in mind, Sunday's rapid-reaction episode of The Lager Line (sponsored by Karbach Brewing and hosted by Rockets podcasters Ben DuBose and Paulo Alves) explores all of the deal's key takeaways and future implications. Tune in! More: Rockets trade for Kevin Durant in deal involving Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, draft equity

CNN

24 minutes ago

• CNN

It's a winner-take-all Game 7 in the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder

Update: Date: 6 min ago Title: This is, simply, the biggest game in the history of both franchises Content: The stakes don't really get any higher than Game 7 of the NBA Finals. But, perhaps, there is a little bit more in it this time around. That's because it has been almost 20 years since the Finals were last contested by two franchises that had never been crowned champion before – not accounting for the Thunder's previous incarnation as the Seattle SuperSonics. That was the Miami Heat's victory in six games over the Dallas Mavericks in 2006. You have to go back even further for the last time a Finals between two ringless franchises went to Game 7 – the then-Washington Bullets' triumph over the Sonics in 1978. It is difficult to overstate how much the Larry O'Brien Trophy would mean to each of these cities. The memory of 2000 – the only other time the Pacers have reached the Finals – still weighs heavy on many in Indiana. Larry Bird's team was an impressive mix of youth and experience, but it never led in the series and was ultimately outdone by a Lakers team winning the first of three consecutive championships. Oklahoma City is also playing in its second Finals, having lost to the Miami Heat in 2012 – a series which pitted Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook against LeBron James and Dwayne Wade. Durant shone in Game 1, putting up 36 points as OKC took the lead in the series. But three narrow victories for the Heat, followed by a blowout in Game 5, sent the Thunder home ruing missed opportunities. Tonight offers the opportunity to put it right. Update: Date: 24 min ago Title: Pacers have come a long way since a telethon saved the franchise Content: Going 25 years without appearing in an NBA Finals, Pacers fans may have felt in recent years that their fortunes could not get any worse. But those of a certain age will know that it definitely can – 48 years ago, the Indiana Pacers were about 10 minutes away from going out of business. In July 1977, the franchise had just finished its first season in the NBA, but it was in dire financial trouble. Coach and general manager Bobby 'Slick' Leonard and his wife, assistant GM Nancy, realized they needed to sell 8,000 season tickets to keep the team in Indianapolis. But they had only sold 5,800. Nancy's solution was a 16-hour telethon, held across July 3 and 4, called, 'Save the Pacers.' The slapdash broadcast featured players, local celebrities and barely any script, but it got the job done – 10 minutes before the deadline, an emotional Nancy Leonard announced that they had reached their goal. Her husband said that the news had 'rejuvenated Indianapolis.' Head coach Rick Carlisle is now hoping to make his own piece of Pacers history. 'It's a long, storied journey,' he said in his pregame news conference. 'I know all of this right now means a lot to our fans, and so we've just got to focus on one game.' Update: Date: 38 min ago Title: How to watch Game 7 of the NBA Finals Content: On Sunday morning, it was still possible to pick up a ticket for Game 7 for a mere$1,200. If you don't fancy stumping up eye-watering sums of money, you can watch thegame live on ABC in the US. It will also be available on streaming platforms Fubo, ESPN+ and SlingTV, depending on your location. The game tips off at 8 p.m. ET. Update: Date: 38 min ago Title: How we got to the first NBA Finals Game 7 in almost a decade Content: This series is level after six games. Here's a look back at how we got to the firstNBA Finals Game 7 in almost a decade.