
Suns not planning to trade Jalen Green after acquiring high-scoring guard in Kevin Durant deal, per report
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Suns not planning to trade Jalen Green after acquiring high-scoring guard in Kevin Durant deal, per report
Phoenix Suns plan on keeping newly acquired guard Jalen Green, according to Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix. Green was the centerpiece in the deal that saw the Rockets acquire star forward Kevin Durant. The former No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft signed a unique contract extension with the Rockets last offseason. Green averaged 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists with Houston during his fourth NBA season.
Green was a logical candidate to get dealt to Phoenix in a trade for Durant because of his salary and potential upside. The former No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft signed a unique contract extension with the Rockets last offseason: a three-year, $106 million deal with a player option after the second season.
The structure of Green’s deal was unprecedented, as he was the first NBA player to negotiate a 2-plus-1 rookie extension on a nine-figure contract.
Kevin Durant trade: Rockets land Suns star in NBA blockbuster as Jalen Green headlines return Sam Quinn
Green averaged 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists with Houston during his fourth NBA season. Green started all 82 regular-season games for the second consecutive year and played a role in helping Houston finish with a 50-32 record and the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. They were eliminated in the first round by the Golden State Warriors in a seven-game series, during which Green scored 38 points in Game 2 and just 48 points in the next five games combined.
If the Suns do, in fact, keep Green, he will be part of a retool around Booker and Beal. Phoenix is now armed with the No. 10 pick in this week’s NBA Draft, with a clear need for a starting-caliber center on the roster.
Along with Green, Phoenix also received Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 draft pick and five second-round picks in return for Durant.