Durant benefited, the Rockets benefited, but the Suns suffered losses.

Typically, a trade involving Durant would dominate the headlines, but it coincided with a rare Game 7 in the Finals, which is why we’re discussing it today.

Before discussing this trade, it’s important to note that it was player-driven, meaning the Suns couldn’t just send Durant wherever they wanted. Although Durant's "trade veto" wasn’t as strong as Beal's, it still carried some weight.

With Durant no longer able to re-sign with the Suns, they needed to trade him quickly to maximize his value. The Suns also wanted to capitalize on this year's draft window to acquire picks for strengthening their team, which is why trade discussions progressed rapidly, with very few teams actually making serious offers.

Rumors indicated that both the Timberwolves and Raptors pursued Durant, but he was not interested in joining, so even though the Timberwolves had the best offer, the Suns couldn't accept it. The Raptors had even less of a chance; Durant didn’t want to go to Minnesota, let alone Toronto.

The Suns had already considered trading Durant before the season's trade deadline and had entered into secret negotiations with the Warriors. When Durant found out, the deal fell through, exacerbating the underlying tensions between him and the Suns.

In the final stages, it was essentially just the Heat and the Rockets competing. The Rockets kept sweetening the deal until it became Jalen Green + Dillon + this year's 10th pick + five second-round picks. The Heat's offer was much less appealing: Wiggins, Rozier, two bench players, and this year's 20th pick.

To be fair, if you had both offers in front of you, which would you choose? The Heat's package held no allure for the Suns; Wiggins is too mediocre, Rozier's contract is terrible, and their first-round pick is worse than the Rockets'.

Although Jalen Green's value has plummeted, he is still young, and Dillon is a solid defensive wing. If they get lucky with the 10th pick, they might even select a core player. From the Suns' perspective, this is already the best return they could hope for, as next season they might not even get a first-round pick.

Of course, if you look into what the Suns gave up to acquire Durant (Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Crowder, and unprotected first-round picks in 2023/2025/2027/2029), it’s clear that they’ve really lost a lot over the past two years.

When you’re eager to make a move and the number of buyers is limited, the return you receive will inevitably fall short of your expectations. Currently, all three highest-paid players on the Suns are shooting guards, creating an even more lopsided roster, so the Suns will be quite busy this summer.

For the Rockets, after an incredibly disappointing playoff run, Jalen Green’s value and the upcoming three-year, $106 million contract no longer align, so he was almost certain to be included in the Durant trade. Dillon is important for the Rockets, but he’s not a core member of the lineup, so trading him to match salaries was expected.

Although the Suns are the passive party, they can’t just take on any contract; they wouldn’t be foolish enough to accept Landale's deal. Overall, not losing Smith and Shepard, and even keeping Whitmore, is entirely acceptable for the Rockets.

The Rockets' core lineup remains intact, and even if the Durant route doesn’t work out, in two years, if Durant leaves or retires, this roster will still be competitive, with offensive centerpiece Sengun and defensive anchor Amen still in their development phase.

This season, the Rockets finished second in the West, and their playoff matchup against the Warriors, who are tough for them, went to seven games, indicating a close contest. The Rockets' defense significantly wore down Curry, leading to his subsequent injury.

To advance further in the playoffs, the Rockets need an offensive centerpiece like Durant. They once hoped Green could take on that role, but after one playoff series, they have lost faith in him. Next season, Durant will be 37, but I still believe his shooting ability will remain elite, and he can still put up 25+5+5 stats, being clutch in crucial moments.

For Durant, the Rockets are arguably his ideal destination. He is no longer suited for a "fixer-upper" and needs a fully furnished place to move in. The Rockets' setup from 2025 may not compare to the 2016 Warriors, but at his age, how many more opportunities will he have?

Durant has moved to a "fully furnished" team where he only needs to provide offensive solutions, while the young players handle the defense. The Rockets also gain the absolute firepower and star power they desperately need; everyone benefits from this trade, except for the Suns, who are left to swallow their bitterness.

I really don’t want to see Durant labeled as a "mercenary" at 37. A player of his caliber deserves a much more dignified way to end his career, but one misstep leads to another. Returning to Texas isn’t necessarily a bad thing, either.

At the very least, Durant has reopened his championship window, and he is even officially the leader of this Rockets team, taking on a role in guiding them. When we look back on Durant's career, I hope this period with the Rockets will add to his legacy.

Once joking about retiring at 35, Durant will be 37 next season. As the youngest among LeBron, Durant, and Curry, I hope he can find a dignified conclusion with the Rockets.