The NBA offseason is still young, but we have likely already seen the biggest move. In late June, former MVP and two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant was traded the Houston Rockets.
Though the trade was still unofficial, fans already knew some parts of it. We knew that the Rockets were giving up Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, and the 10th-overall pick of the 2025 draft. Fans thought that was that, but oh no. There was much, much more to this trade.
On July 6, the trade became official, revealing that there were seven teams involved in the trade − the first such trade in NBA history, per ESPN. Six players, fifteen draft picks, and a bit of cash were all moved in order to move Kevin Durant to the Lone Star State. Here’s what to know.
Which teams were involved in the trade?
Obviously, the Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns were involved, but other teams in on the action included the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Los Angeles Lakers.
What did each team receive?
Phoenix Suns: Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, 10th-overall pick (Khaman Maluach), 31st-overall pick (Rasheer Fleming), 41st-overall pick (Koby Brea), Daeqwon Plowden, a 2026 2nd-round pick, a 2032 second-round pick
Houston Rockets: Kevin Durant, Clint Capela, 2031 2nd-round pick swap
Golden State Warriors: 52nd-overall pick (Alex Toohey), 59th-overall pick (Jahmai Mashack)
Brooklyn Nets: 2026 2nd-round pick, 2030 2nd-round pick
Atlanta Hawks: David Roddy, 2031 2nd-round pick swap, cash considerations
Los Angeles Lakers: 36th-overall pick (Adou Thiero)
Minnesota Timberwolves: 45th-overall pick (Rocco Zikarsky), two future 2nd-round picks, cash considerations
Why did it take so long for the trade to become official?
The deal was not eligible to be completed until July 6, the start of the NBA’s 2025-26 official year. The delay allowed teams to satisfy salary cap requirements and actually enabled Phoenix to move the second-round picks it earned in the trade around in order to alleviate some salary cap penalties they would’ve otherwise had to endure.
What was the previous biggest trade in NBA history?
Just one year ago, the league saw a six-team trade between the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, Charlotte Hornets, and Philadelphia 76ers. The biggest player involved in this trade was five-time All-Star Klay Thompson, who was sent from the Golden State Warriors to the Dallas Mavericks.
