Rockets get Durant without touching anyone important, and absorb Royce O'Neale into their MLE, more as a money-saving favor to Phoenix rather than sending another player over (Grayson Allen makes too much to be an MLE dump, otherwise it'd be him). Jabari Smith Jr is expendable and Cam Whitmore is going to get buried. They will be wanting a point guard, but they were probably gonna be looking anyway and they've been counting on Amen Thompson to fill some of that void. The 2026 round one serves as return for Cam Whitmore but is mainly to keep them Stepien compliant; Phoenix is at the back of the line for that pick behind multiple other swaps and it's unlikely to be good.

Suns get two of their firsts back, including #10 this year, although #29 is sent out for apron reasons. On the court they get FVV and his $44M expiring, which if the latest rumors about Ishbia are true (cash-poor), might be their preference over Jalen Green or some other package. FVV also gives them an actual point guard, at least for a year. Jabari tracks as a high quality support player rather than an all-star (welcome next to Booker and Beal) and gives them a needed big. Factor in the possible addition-by-subtraction regarding Durant and his unhappiness, and it's not hard to picture Phoenix as an outright better team after this.

The Sixers get involved to pick up Cam Whitmore (will be buried in Houston behind some combination of Durant, Amen, Royce, Dillon Brooks, and Tari Easton) and #29 this year, sending two future seconds to Phoenix, (who in turns will send their 2026 swap-crippled first to Houston). Philly needs to get younger and better fast, if only because Morey might be on the hot seat, and this in tandem with the #3 pick is a great opportunity to do that.