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On the day of Game 7 of the NBA Finals, the NBA didn't want to wait until tip-off to steal the headlines. Instead, the biggest move of the NBA offseason so far dropped on the morning of the biggest game of the year as Kevin Durant was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets. The Suns are getting back a package centered around Jalen Green and the No. 10 pick in the NBA Draft.
Phoenix is also getting Dillon Brooks and five second-round picks in return for the 36-year old superstar.
However, even though the deal is already done and agreed to, it cannot be finalized until July 6 according to Bobby Marks of ESPN.
“Because of the poison pill restriction in the Jalen Green rookie extension, this trade cannot be finalized until July 6,” Marks wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
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The poison pill comes into effect because the Rockets signed Green to a rookie extension, but it does not come into effect until next season, so the trade can't go through until July. However, this should not affect the trade at all, instead it will just delay the official transaction for a few weeks.
The immediate reaction to the trade was that Green would likely be traded or moved from the Suns in one form or fashion, but that is not the case. Instead, the Suns plan to pair Green with Devin Booker in the backcourt, and will try to move on from Bradley Beal instead.
The fit between Green and Booker is an interesting one, and will be one of the storylines to watch coming into next season that stem from this trade. Neither is a natural point guard, but playing the two of them next to a traditional floor general could really hurt the Suns on the defensive end of the floor. However, Green has not shown the level of playmaking to be that point guard, so the product on the court will be fascinating to watch.
Regardless, Green has a ton of talent on the offensive end and the Suns are betting on him taking another step forward in his fifth season after a change of scenery.
