Kevin Durant is now officially a Houston Rocket. The Phoenix Suns finally shipped the superstar to Ime Udoka’s team on June 22, 2025. While this is an exciting, win-now move for the Rockets, the trade also has real-world implications, as Fred VanVleet showed while posting a heartfelt goodbye to his Dillon Brooks, who was sent to Phoenix in the deal.
Fred VanVleet Shares Emotional Goodbye Message to Dillon Brooks After Kevin Durant Trade
On June 22, the Suns officially traded Durant to the Rockets in exchange for Jalen Green, Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and five second-round picks.
The deal marked the end of Durant’s disappointing two-and-a-half-season stint in Phoenix, where he played 145 regular-season games and made two playoff appearances but never advanced past the second round. This past season, the team failed to make the playoffs with a 36-46 record and finished 11th in the Western Conference.
Durant is a 15-time All-Star, former MVP, and two-time NBA champion who averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists this past season while shooting 52.7% from the field and 43% from three-point range.
While the Rockets are thrilled to add the future Hall-of-Famer, the locker room will feel the absence of one key contributor from their tight-knit team.
Just hours after the Rockets finalized the blockbuster deal, VanVleet shared an emotional farewell on his Instagram story, writing “@dillonbrooks24 boo sum 💪🤝real warrior thank you for shifting this culture with me,” alongside a photo of the two teammates.
Fred VanVleet on his Instagram story:
“Dillon Brooks, Real warrior, thank you for shifting the culture with me” pic.twitter.com/YvodBxNopp
— Bradeaux (@BradeauxNBA) June 24, 2025
Brooks later shared the same photo in his story, with the word “Brothers” and the handshake emoji. The two guards clearly had a strong bond during their time together. They both joined the Rockets in 2023 and were instrumental in transforming the team’s identity under Udoka.
The Rockets improved dramatically, finishing 52-30 and earning the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference before losing to the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. But now, their paths diverge.
The hardest part is that Brooks didn’t choose to leave — it was a front-office decision that forced him to go to the Suns as part of the Durant package. VanVleet obviously knows that the NBA is a business, but it doesn’t make it any easier to say goodbye to a brother.
Brooks shot a career-best 39.7% on 3-pointers last season and is widely regarded as a lockdown perimeter defender. Now, he will now try to help the Suns change their culture. For the Rockets, they will chase a championship after adding one of the best scorers in NBA history.
Durant recently expressed excitement about joining the Rockets, telling Kay Adams, “Being part of the Houston Rockets, I’m looking forward to it. Crazy, crazy last couple weeks, but I’m glad it’s over with. … They had a great season last year. Love their leadership. I felt like I’d be a good addition.”
Now, VanVleet and the Rockets’ core will work to integrate their new superstar teammate into the culture that he and Brooks helped establish.
