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The Phoenix Suns found a trade partner this weekend after spending the offseason trying to move Kevin Durant. The star forward is headed to Texas to play for the Houston Rockets.
It puts an end to a failed stint in Arizona that saw the Suns struggle to a 36-46 campaign and miss the NBA Playoffs. He’ll now move onto a rising championship contender.
Durant averaged 26.6 points a night with Phoenix this past season, production he’ll now take to a Western Conference rival in Houston. The Rockets won 52 games last year to get back to the postseason for the first time since 2020.
Now, they’ll add a veteran centerpiece to a young lineup. Houston traded Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, a top 10 draft pick, and five second-round picks to land Durant.
The news broke while the NBA champion was at the FanaticsFest in New York City. He looked ecstatic on stage upon hearing that the trade went official.
BREAKING: Kevin Durant was traded to the Houston Rockets while he was ON STAGE at Fanatics Fest.
He had no clue and even asked if it was real.
On his first reaction to being traded: “We’re gonna see man, we’re gonna see.” pic.twitter.com/UKixsyLT6B
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) June 22, 2025
He later interviewed with Kay Adams to dive deeper into deal. He had a large hand in choosing his next destination.
“Being a part of the Houston Rockets, I’m looking forward to it,” Kevin Durant said about the trade. “Crazy, crazy last couple weeks, but I’m glad it’s over with.”
He continued onto detail his role in the agreement. He knew it was coming sooner rather than later.
“I had an idea [it would go public], but I didn’t know exactly when it was going to happen,” he said. “Being able to kind of dictate what you want to do, and being with a team that values you, I’m looking forward to it… [The Suns] asked me where I wanted to go, and one of the destinations I gave to them [was Houston].”
The trade came days after Kevin Durant shot down rumors of turmoil in the Phoenix Suns locker room.
The Phoenix Suns reportedly had multiple fistfights in the locker room this past season, per @boogiecousins
(Via @RunItBackFDTV ) pic.twitter.com/oRzuVzbK0I
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 20, 2025
Former NBA teammate DeMarcus Cousins says Phoenix Suns players were involved in fistfights in the locker room throughout last year’s disappointing season. He suggested that the intel was leaked by a current member of the roster.
Durant denied the accusation. “I have to contest this 94-footer. This some bulls— to throw on us. Yea yea yea we were trash this year ha ha ha but we NEVER got close to this. NEVER.”
Turmoil or not, it was clear the Suns wanted Durant gone. He doesn’t seem too torn up about it. “They wanted me to go,” the forward said. “They got what they wanted. I got what I wanted. We can move on, and good luck to them moving forward.”
Kevin Durant will be a member of the Houston Rockets in 2025-26. He’ll look to get back to the NBA Playoffs in Year 1 with his new squad.