The upstart Houston Rockets made a big offseason splash by trading for former Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant.
Houston, we have KD.
Per Shams Charania of ESPN, the Houston Rockets have acquired Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, the 10th overall pick in this week’s NBA Draft, and five future second-round choices.
Durant, who turns 37 in September, now joins an upstart Houston group fresh off a breakout season. Houston will be the fifth stop of his NBA career, which began in Seattle/Oklahoma City and has also featured stints in Golden State, Brooklyn, and Phoenix.
Though Durant’s high-profile collaboration with Bradley Beal and Devin Booker failed to generate any lasting success, he put up solid numbers and stayed healthy in the desert, averaging 26.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in 137 appearances over the last two years. He’ll now join a Houston group that placed second on the Western Conference playoff bracket after a 52-win campaign that broke a four-year playoff drought.
The Rockets fell to the Golden State Warriors in round one of the Western playoffs but Durant joins a potential-packed core that still features Alperen Sengun, Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith Jr., and Amen Thompson. The group is overseen by third-year boss Ime Udoka, who earned Coach of the Year consideration for his efforts with last season’s group.
In the deal, Houston says goodbye to Brooks and Green, who helped the franchise get back on track amidst the departure of James Harden.
After arriving as the second overall pick out of G League Ignite in 2021, Green averaged 20.1 points in Rockets uniform while Brooks lived up to his sterling defensive reputation after a 2023 sign-and-trade with Memphis. The Suns, fresh off a disappointing 36-46 campaign, are picking up the pieces as they tear down from the disastrous Durant gambit and are welcoming in their fourth head coach over the last four seasons (Jordan Ott taking over for Monty Williams/Frank Vogel/Mike Budenholzer).
Ironically enough, the 2025 first-round pick that the Suns get back was originally their own: it was sent to the Brooklyn Nets for Durant at the 2023 trade deadline before Brooklyn sent it to Houston in a draft day deal last summer.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
