Houston Rockets Acquire Kevin Durant In Blockbuster Deal: ‘We Can Move On’

The Houston Rockets have acquired Kevin Durant in a blockbuster deal with the Phoenix Suns that they hope will move the organization closer to an NBA championship.

The Suns are getting Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in Wednesday’s NBA Draft and five second-round picks, said a person with direct knowledge of the deal who was not authorized to speak publicly for the Rockets.

ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the news.

“Anything can happen at Fanatics Fest, like me getting traded but being part of the Houston Rockets, I’m looking forward to it,” Durant told reporter Kay Adams at Fanatics Fest in New York. “Crazy, crazy last couple weeks but I’m glad it’s over with.

Asked if he knew before the trade, Durant said,: “I had an idea but I didn’t know exactly when it was going to happen. You know, when people can just hang your career in the balance like that and then just choose what they want to do with your career, it’s a nerve-wracking feeling but 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.”

Durant said he had a hand in the destination.

“Most definitely, yeah,” he said. “They asked me where I wanted to go, some of my destinations. I gave it to them and here we are.”

How dangerous are the Rockets going to be now?

“They won 50-plus games last year and had a great season,” Durant said. “But all this stuff takes time and work and effort and execution, so we’ll see what happens.”

He added: “[Suns fans] wanted me to go so I’m glad they got what they wanted and I got what I wanted. We can move on, good luck to them going forward, and I’ll always remember my time there.”

The San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves were among the other teams linked to Durant, who will make $54.7 million next season. Durant was reportedly also interested in the Knicks, but the franchise did not want to trade for him.

Durant can sign an extension with the Rockets for up to two years and $122.1 million starting on July 6, per NBA salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan. He would earn $59.5 million in the 2026-27 season and $62.5 million in 2027-28.

“He could extend for less to help them build a stronger roster, but have more flexibility to fit it with Green and Brooks gone,” he wrote on social media.

Durant, a two-time NBA Finals MVP and the 2014 NBA MVP, turns 37 in September. Houston will be his sixth franchise after stints with the Seattle Supersonics/Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix.

In Feburary 2023, the Nets traded Durant to Phoenix for a package that included Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and four unprotected future first-round picks.

With more than 30,000 points, Durant is currently the eighth leading scorer in NBA history.

He averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 62 games this past season in Phoenix.

Despite assembling a “Big 3” of Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, the Suns failed to make the NBA playoffs last season, causing coach Mike Budenholzer to be fired in April.

In Houston, Durant will join a young core featuring Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, Cam Whitmore, and Tari Eason. All were 22 or younger when last season began.

The Suns, meantime, now feature a backcourt featuring Green, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, and Booker, although Phoenix is reportedly looking to ship Green out in another deal to bolster their roster.

Green, 23, averaged 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists last season as the Rockets earned the No. 2 seed in the West.

Brooks, 29, averaged 14.0 points and 3.7 rebounds.