Suns Were Right Not to Accept Heat's Offer for Kevin Durant

There were several teams in the mix for Durant, but he said he only wanted to go to either the Rockets, Heat or San Antonio Spurs.

According to multiple reports before the trade went down, San Antonio didn't seem that interested all along and other teams were hesitant to put out there best offers for Durant because they didn't know if he would sign an extension.

In the final days, the conversations narrowed down to the Heat and Rockets, ESPN's Shams Charania reported, so the Suns ultimately felt the Rockets offer was better.

Here is what the Suns ended up with after the trade was finalized into a massive seven-team trade for draft picks purposes:

• Jalen Green
• Dillon Brooks
• Khaman Maluach (No. 10 overall pick)
• Rasheer Fleming (No. 31 overall pick)
• Koby Brea (No. 41 overall pick)
• Daeqwon Plowden
• 2026 second-round pick
• 2032 second-round pick

Were The Suns Right In Taking the Rockets Offer?

This Rockets' offer was much better than what the Heat were willing to part ways with.

Phoenix would have gotten a worse draft pick (No. 20 vs. No. 10) and worse young player in Jaquez compared to Green.

Wiggins is arguably better than Brooks, but the Suns wanted a player that could help set their new culture, which Brooks has proven he can do with the Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies.

As for the other players, Highsmith was traded as a salary dump to the Brooklyn Nets last week, while Rozier is still under investigation for gambling and Jackson reported that "nobody wants him."

Phoenix would have been afforded more financial flexibility after the 2025-26 season with the Heat trade, as Rozier and Highsith are on expiring contracts, Wiggins has a player option and Jaquez has a team option.

The Suns also wouldn't have had to hope two shooting guards co-exist together with Green and Devin Booker, but they would have had more holes on their roster with the Heat deal.

There is an argument to be made that the Suns are pretty much mortgaging their future on the Houston return turning out well and would not have had to do that with the Heat trade given that all of the players could have been free agents next summer.

However, the Suns can always try to trade Brooks and Green down the line if they don't work out, and it is hard to see the future of the team anyways without taking risks with Phoenix having no control of its first-round draft picks through 2032.

All in all, the Rockets trade gave the Suns the best players, best draft picks and more youth in general, but time will tell how the return ends up working out for Phoenix.