The Houston Rockets are arguably the most improved team in the NBA this offseason. Thanks to savvy moves by GM Rafael Stone, the Rockets went from a scrappy, young 50-win regular-season team to a true title contender.
Along the way, there had to be a few sacrifices, including parting ways with valuable contributors. In the trade that landed the Rockets Kevin Durant, Houston had to send Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green to Phoenix.
While trades are a natural part of business in the NBA, players can get salty about getting moved, especially by teams with which they have spent a significant amount of time. For Green who spent his entire four-year career with the Rockets, however, that hasn't been the case.
In his article on The Players' Tribune on Wednesday, the former Rockets guard addressed the fans in Houston. The most surprising part of the piece was when he admitted that he would have traded himself, too, if he were "in the executive chair".
"Listen, nobody likes to get traded. But I can honestly say that I get it, bro. This is a business, and if I was up there in the executive chair, I probably would’ve made the deal, too. I think it’s a better situation for both sides, and I’m just excited to get it popping with Book, and to create that winning culture that we figured out down here in Houston. "Jalen Green
Green is obviously not too hurt by getting traded to the Suns. It could partly be him understanding that the opportunity to trade for a player of Durant's caliber doesn't come too often. It could also be that he knows he needs a fresh start after disappointing during his Rockets tenure, struggling with efficiency and shot selection. Perhaps he is just happy to be playing in Phoenix or with Devin Booker.
Regardless of his reasons, the 23-year-old isn't holding a grudge against the Rockets organization. It sounds like he will remember his time in Houston fondly, and even though he didn't live up to the expectations that came with being the second-overall pick, Rockets fans will have good memories of Green, as well.
Seeing Green develop and turn into a quality NBA player in Houston would have been a nice story, but the Rockets are in a different stage right now. Their championship window is here, and even Green understands that they had to move on from him to chase the title.