Why the Suns Demand Jalen Green & Jabari Smith for Kevin Durant – The Cold Hard Logic Behind the Trade

The Brutal Math Behind Phoenix’s Trade Demands
Let’s cut through the noise: when a 35-year-old Kevin Durant becomes available, you don’t haggle over role players. Phoenix knows this. That’s why they’re demanding Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. as the centerpiece of any trade with Houston. Here’s why their ask isn’t just reasonable – it’s unavoidable.
Houston’s Roster Calculus (aka The Tax Avoidance Playbook)
The Rockets have three non-negotiable constraints:
- No luxury tax payments (owner Tilman Fertitta would rather sell his steakhouse chain)
- Fred VanVleet stays (without his playmaking, this team resembles a G-League offense)
- Alperen Şengün is untouchable (their only proven scorer under 25)
That leaves Green (\(9.6M) and Smith (\)9.3M) as the only movable assets that both clear meaningful salary and intrigue Phoenix. Every GM spreadsheet in the league confirms this.
Why Smith Over Eason? Follow the Money.
Phoenix isn’t stupid:
- Tari Eason will cost $12-15M/year to extend
- Jabari wants $30M+ annually after next season
- The Suns get two cost-controlled years of Smith before deciding on his extension
This isn’t about talent evaluation – it’s financial arbitrage. Phoenix gets younger while kicking their cap crisis down the road.
The Draft Pick Standoff
Houston playing hardball on those 2027 picks? Please. They’ll fold when reality hits:
- Their 2024 #10 pick has more value traded than used (hello, Dalton Knecht insurance)
- A top-4 protected 2027 Suns pick is essentially Monopoly money given Durant/Booker’s timeline
My prediction: Deal gets done June 25th with one first-rounder changing hands. Maybe two if Houston throws in a second-rounder to save face.
The Aftermath: Who Wins?
- Suns get athleticism around Durant without sacrificing depth
- Rockets gamble that Amen Thompson can replace Green’s shot creation
- Jabari Smith finally gets his coveted alpha role… in Phoenix’s development hell
The real loser? Fans expecting this trade to make either team contenders. But hey, at least we’ll get great #NBATwitter drama out of it.
StatsOverDunks
Hot comment (9)

فینکس کا ‘ریاضی کا جادو’ 🔢🏀
کیون ڈیورنٹ کے لیے جالین گرین اور جباری اسمتھ مانگنا؟ یہ کوئی معمولی بات نہیں! فینکس نے پورا کیلکولیٹر چلا دیا ہے۔
ہیوی ڈیل کی حقیقت 💸
ہوسٹن کے مالک کو ٹیکس سے اتنی نفرت ہے کہ وہ اپنی سٹیک ہاؤس چین بیچ دیں گے مگر ٹیکس نہیں دیں گے! اب یہ دیکھو کہ جباری اسمتھ کو فینکس میں $30M ملے گا یا نہیں؟ 😂
تمہارا کیا خیال ہے؟ کیا یہ ٹریڈ ہونی چاہیے؟ #NBAPakistan میں بتاؤ!

ফিনিক্স সান্স কি ভাবছে? ৩৫ বছরের কেভিন ডুরান্টের বিনিময়ে জালেন গ্রিন আর জাবারী স্মিথ চাইছেন! 😂 হিউস্টন রকেটসের মালিক যদি তার স্টেকহাউস বিক্রি করতে রাজি না হন, তাহলে এই ট্রেড কিভাবে হবে? 🤔
জাবারী স্মিথ ৩০ মিলিয়ন ডলার চাইলে ফিনিক্সে গিয়ে কম পাবে? এটা কি নতুন গণিত? 🧮
আপনার মতামত কি? নিচে কমেন্টে জানান! #NBABangla

¡Las matemáticas no mienten!
Phoenix sabe que pedir a Jalen Green y Jabari Smith por Kevin Durant no es una locura, es pura lógica financiera. ¿3000 millones para Jabari en Houston? En Phoenix, ese número se reduce como la paciencia de los fans.
El juego de las sillas musicales NBA: Houston quiere evitar el lujo fiscal más que un argentino evita el invierno. Y Phoenix, con su crisis salarial, busca jóvenes talentos antes de que explote su presupuesto.
¿Quién gana? Nadie, pero al menos tendremos drama en #NBATwitter. ¡Comenten sus apuestas!

¿Por qué Phoenix exige tanto por KD?
¡Ni el más frío cálculo financiero justifica este robo a mano armada! Que Phoenix pida a Jalen Green Y Jabari Smith por un KD de 35 años es como cambiar dos empanadas recién hechas por una milanesa recalentada.
La matemática de Houston es tragicómica:
- Dueño que prefiere vender sus bisteces antes que pagar impuestos
- VanVleet como único adulto en la cancha
- Şengün intocable como reliquia familiar
Lo único seguro: ¡el #NBATwitter estallará mejor que un asado mal hecho! ¿Ustedes qué dicen, aceptan el trade o prefieren ver arder Phoenix?

Matemática Duríssima do Trade
O Suns quer Jalen Green E Jabari Smith pelo Durant? Ou o GM de Phoenix tá jogando muito NBA2K no modo ‘dificuldade lendária’?
A Lógica (ou Falta Dela):
- Durant com 35 anos vale DOIS jovens promissores?
- O dono do Rockets prefere vender churrascaria que pagar luxury tax (típico!)
Piada Pronta: Se isso acontecer, o próximo passo é o Suns pedir o Cristo Redentor em troca do Booker!
E aí, torcedores, acham que vale a pena? #NBAdeMercenários

O Grande Roubo do Século?
A Phoenix quer Jalen Green E Jabari Smith por Kevin Durant? Isso não é negociação, é assalto à luz do dia!
Matemática Financeira Criativa Se o Smith vale 30 milhões na Houston, como vai valer menos na Phoenix? Será que o sol do Arizona derrete os contratos também?
E esses picks protegidos… Mais falsos que promessa de ano novo! Pelo menos vamos ter drama no #NBATwitter - isso sim é entretenimento de verdade.
O que vocês acham? Aceitavam essa troca se fossem o GM dos Rockets? 😂

Финансовый баскетбол по-финиксовски
Феникс требует Джейлена Грина и Джабари Смита за 35-летнего Дюранта? Это не оценка талантов, а чистый финансовый арбитраж!
Хьюстон пытается избежать налогового апокалипсиса, а Феникс просто откладывает свой кап-кризис на пару лет.
И да, Смит хочет $30 млн в Хьюстоне… но в Фениксе он вдруг станет “бюджетным” вариантом! Вот такая магия зарплатной шапки.
Кто выиграет в этом обмене? Возможно, только создатели мемов в #NBATwitter!

ফাইন্যান্সিয়াল ফ্যান্টাসি
সান্স কি ভেবেছে জাবারি স্মিথ রকেটে ৩০ মিলিয়ন চাইলে সান্সে এসে ফ্রি হয়ে যাবে? 😂 এই ট্রেড লজিকটা ঠিক চায়ের দোকানের হিসেবের মতো!
ট্যাক্স এভোইডেন্স গেম
রকেটের মালিক তিলমান ফার্টিটা স্টেকহাউস বিক্রি করবে কিন্তু লাক্সারি ট্যাক্স দিবে না! আর ফ্রেড ভ্যানভ্লিট ছাড়া তাদের অফেন্স দেখলে মনে হয় G-লিগের টিম।
রিয়েলিটি চেক
২০২৭ সালের ড্রাফট পিক মনোপলি মানির মতো! KD আর বুকারের বয়স দেখে তো আমারও হাসি পায়। কমেন্টে লিখুন কে আসলে এই ট্রেডে জিতবে? নাকি সবাই হারবে? 🤔

Phoenix tính toán như một cao thủ Excel
Cái giá để có KD 35 tuổi: Jalen Green + Jabari Smith. Nghe thì điên rồ nhưng mà… hợp lý toán học! (Dù chắc Jabari sẽ sốc khi biết mình là “món hời” để tránh thuế)
Fred VanVleet ở lại = Cửa hàng bít tết của ông chủ được an toàn
Quan trọng nhất: Ông Fertitta thà bán đội bóng còn hơn trả thuế xa xỉ. Còn Suns? Họ đang chơi trò “đá canh bạc tài chính” xuống mùa sau!
Cá cược thú vị: Amen Thompson thay thế Green? Chuẩn bị xem phim kinh dị “Biệt đội ném không vào rổ” mùa tới đi là vừa! 😂 Bạn nghĩ ai sẽ khóc nhiều hơn: fans Suns hay fans Rockets?
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