The Phoenix Suns have turned the page on their Kevin Durant era, marking an end to his two-and-a-half-season stint with them with a blockbuster seven-team trade, landing Durant in Houston and giving the Suns some youth in the form of forward Dillon Brooks and former top-3 pick Jalen Green. Phoenix is not chasing short-term stardom anymore, and the franchise is going to have to patiently grow its youth into long-term stability.

Recently, on media day, Jalen Green set the tone for their reset. The 23-year-old made it clear that he’s not just excited to be here, but also committed to the long-term future of the team. He told reporters, “I’m excited to play with Book. I think it’s going to be a good situation. I think I’m going to be able to learn a lot from him while at the same time adding what I could bring to the table.” His words showed ambition balanced with humility; a balance that the Suns have lacked in their chaotic last two seasons.

The fit with Devin Booker is central to Green’s vision of the future. “I think we’re going to complement each other a lot, especially with the system that [new head coach Jordan] Ott’s got us playing in. I think we’re going to be playing fast, and I think we’re going to be able to create a lot for each other and create for others.” A high-tempo offense engineered by Ott, a former Cavaliers assistant, could help Green utilize his athleticism while letting Booker operate from the perimeter in crunch time.

Green’s durability adds another layer of confidence. He played all 82 games last season, compared to Durant’s 62 and Bradley Beal’s 53. However, the optimism that Green is bringing to the Suns is not without cost.

Beal, who was on a $110M contract for the next two years, had to be bought out, meaning that the Suns will have to pay him over $19M per year until the 2029-30 season. It highlights just how desperate Phoenix was to move on, to end the brief and disappointing era of the Booker-Durant-Beal trio, and clear space for a more stable future.

This belief is the backbone of the franchise’s new philosophy. While Jalen Green spoke about what he and Booker can build together, Suns owner Mat Ishbia had words of his own on this new direction.

What Mat Ishbia’s Backing Means for Green and the Suns

Mat Ishbia didn’t hold back when reflecting on the Durant trade. During an interview on ESPN’s NBA Today, Ishbia said, “Kevin Durant’s a great player. There’s no one that can ever question that. Just wasn’t a fit for what we’re doing going forward.” For Phoenix, the trade wasn’t about Durant’s talent, but about the kind of culture they wanted to cultivate.

This culture starts with youth and toughness. Ishbia praised Green, mentioning that he was a 23-year-old with high upside who was the “leading scorer and played all 82 games last year” for the Houston Rockets.

He also pointed to Dillon Brooks as a “tough-minded, winning type guy,” who could help anchor the team and build defensive intensity. Add in #10 overall pick Khaman Maluach and second-rounder Rasheer Fleming, and the Suns have depth to develop.

It’s a sharp pivot from their previous era. Ishbia admitted, “We’re looking forward, not looking back. Obviously, it didn’t work with Kevin. We wish him the best. But for us, going forward, we love the guys we got. We love what we’re building, and it takes time. It’s not going to happen overnight, but we feel great about what we’ve got here in Phoenix going forward.”

The Suns are building a new identity: not built on mercenaries, but on players who grow together and define the Suns as they move into the future.