Rockets Thrilled to Add KD Despite Tough Decision to Move on From Jalen Green

Houston Rockets Excited to Welcome KD After Tough Choice to Trade Jalen Green

Acquiring a player of Kevin Durant’s caliber was an opportunity the Houston Rockets couldn’t let slip away, even if it meant saying goodbye to Jalen Green just four seasons after selecting him as the second overall pick.

On Sunday, Durant was officially traded from Phoenix in a complex seven-team deal that saw Green and Dillon Brooks heading to the Suns, while Clint Capela returned to Houston from the Atlanta Hawks.

General Manager Rafael Stone is ecstatic to bring the future Hall of Famer—set to turn 37 in September—onto a team that made significant strides last season, earning the second seed in the Western Conference. When asked on Monday about his motivation for adding Durant, Stone broke into a big smile before responding.

“He’s Kevin Durant,” Stone said. www8k8 “He’s just—he’s really good. He’s super-efficient. He had a great year last year. He’s obviously not 30 anymore, but he hasn’t really fallen off, and we just think he has a chance to really be impactful for us.”

However, trading Green was not an easy decision for Stone, who has been the general manager since 2020. “Jalen is awesome, and he did everything we asked,” Stone reflected. “He’s a wonderful combination of talent and work ethic, along with being a great human being. Anytime you have the privilege to work with someone who is talented, hard-working, and genuinely nice, you should value it. Organizationally, we’ve valued him tremendously, so yes, it was very hard.”

Green faced criticism for his inconsistent performance during the playoffs when the Rockets were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in seven games during the first round. jilibet apps Nevertheless, Green improved in each of his four seasons with Houston, leading the team in scoring last season and playing all 82 games in the previous two seasons.

When pressed for more details about why Green’s time in Houston had come to an end, Stone refrained from getting into specifics. “It’s the NBA, and you can only make trades if a certain amount of money goes out and a certain amount comes in, and there’s some overlap in terms of position or at least in terms of on-ball presence,” he explained. “And that’s what the deal required jili999 online casino login app.”

With Durant, the Rockets are adding nearly two decades of experience, as he averaged 26.6 points and six rebounds per game last season, boasting a career average of 27.2 points and seven rebounds. The veteran experience and presence Durant offers are highly valued by the Rockets. Stone mentioned that the team had arranged for some of its players to train with Durant during the previous two offseasons.

“His work ethic is just awesome,” Stone said. “The speed at which he practices, not just in games, but during practice sessions is something that has contributed to his greatness over the years, starting from a very young age. So among all the aspects I hope rub off, that’s the main one: practice makes perfect. One of the reasons he’s had such an outstanding career is the intensity he brings to his work every single day.”

Durant is a 15-time All-Star and four-time scoring champion, and he has twice been named Finals MVP jili888 register link. The former Texas Longhorn is one of only eight players in NBA history to surpass 30,000 career points. He has also won NBA titles in 2017 and 2018 with the Warriors. Now, he will be joining a team that is in pursuit of its first NBA championship since winning back-to-back titles in 1994-95.

“Everything has to play out, but we do—we like the fit,” Stone stated. “We think it works well. We believe he will add value to us, and we think we will help him as well.”

What do you think about the Rockets’ decision to trade Jalen Green for Kevin Durant pisoplay?