You are always welcome to go home! Green is worthy of the Rockets, Stone thanks with tears, and Durant also leaves a way out

The Rockets completed a big deal this offseason: they sent Jaylen Green, Dillon and the No. 10 draft pick to the Suns in exchange for superstar Durant. The deal is undoubtedly one of the hardest decisions for Rockets management in recent years. Rockets general manager Stone admitted in an interview with ESPN podcast that the deal made it difficult for him to let go, especially sending away Jaylen Green, a player he regarded as a "child". Stone's tone was reluctant, and even revealed that after the deal was concluded, the team did not celebrate because the pain of losing Green was too strong. Since Green was selected by the Rockets as the second place in 2021, he has been the team's focus of training. The Rockets provide him with unlimited firepower and a relaxed growth environment, hoping that he will become the core of the team's future. Green's talent is unquestionable. His starting speed is historical, and his ability to stagnate the air is even reminiscent of Michael Jordan. In some games, Green can briefly transform into a "super giant" and lead the team to an astonishing winning rate. Statistics show that his winning rate in this state is as high as 88%. However, Green's performance was extremely unstable, with mediocre performance for most of the season, especially in confrontation and football quotients, never meeting expectations.

In the past four years, Green has never been able to make a breakthrough in strength, and even faced Hilder, who has weak defense, and has difficulty completing singles. In addition, Green's hand shape is smaller, which affects his ball-handling ability, which has also become his technical shortcomings. Despite this, the Rockets' love for Green never diminished. Stone recalled a game in the interview, and Greene was injured in a leg but still insisted on playing, showing a touching professional spirit.

Stone said emotionally: "Green is like my child. I watched him grow up and put in countless efforts. He is only 23 years old, younger than my own. It is really difficult to send him away, but I hope he has a smooth sailing in solar."

This deep emotion not only comes from management, but Rockets fans are also full of attachment to Green. Last season, the Rockets played against the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs, and Green failed to show his due dominance, which made the management finally decide to start the deal. If Green could stand up at a critical moment, perhaps Stone wouldn't have pressed the trading button so decisively. But for the team's prospect of winning the championship, the Rockets chose Durant, the tried and tested superstar. Durant has one year left on his contract and is expected to renew his contract with the Rockets for two years, when he will retire at around the age of 40. This means that the Rockets' championship window for the next three years has begun, and Green's departure may only be a temporary "extravagant experience".

Green signed a three-year, $106 million contract with annual salary of 33.3 million, 36 million and 36 million respectively (2027-28 season is a player option), and the contract also includes 10% of the transaction margin. The contract guarantees Green's future and leaves the possibility of his return to the Rockets. The Rockets and Green expressed their deep feelings for each other many times during the offseason, and Stone even compared the deal to "an opportunity to let children grow up in other places."

For Green, joining the Suns is a brand new starting point. The Suns have made it clear that they will focus on cultivating him in the new season, and Green has also shown enough efforts.

Recently, his photo with Rockets teammate Smith showed that Green significantly gained muscle through hard training and was huge. Rockets reporter Bradeaux praised on social media: "Green has become strong, he must work so hard."

This is not only to prove himself in the Suns, but also to pave the way for a possible return in the future. Green averaged 20.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 0.8 steals per game last season. Although the data is not amazing, it has shown certain potential. His talent is unquestionable, especially his "groove-resistant" attribute is impressive. Fans often joke that Green can always resurrect tenaciously in seemingly "killed", showing resilience far beyond ordinary people.

However, Green's ball quotient and stability are still shortcomings that need to be improved urgently. If Green can realize his talent during the Suns' three-year contract period, whether he stays at the Suns as the core or returns to the Rockets, it will be a win-win result. For the Rockets, this deal is both a strategic adjustment and an emotional leave. Durant's arrival immediately allowed the team to enter the championship mode, but Green's departure made fans and management regret it.

Stone said in an interview: "From a basketball perspective, we have no choice, after all, he is Kevin Durant. But we always love Jaylen and miss his contribution to Houston." These words not only revealed the Rockets' deep affection for Green, but also laid the groundwork for his future return.