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.
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.
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.
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.
Kevin Durant to Rockets becomes official as part of historic 7-team NBA trade – USA Today
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