Jan 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) controls the ball during the first quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Draymond Green Defends Kevin Durant Comments After Suns Trade

Originally posted on Phoenix Suns on SI | By Donnie Druin | Last updated Jan 8, 2026 2:35 PM ET

The Phoenix Suns' trade with the Houston Rockets for Kevin Durant is still being discussed to this day.

Such is life when such a massive trade goes down, and the ramifications of that deal will likely still be brought up years down the road.

Recently, those talks again flamed up after Durant hit a game-winning shot over the Suns, and afterwards Durant made some interesting comments that even drew the attention of Draymond Green:

"I think KD was actually just a casualty of war. I don't think he was necessarily kicked out because who's just kicking Kevin Durant out? It's Kevin Durant, as he told y'all. You know who I am. I'm KD. But I think he was a casualty of war," Green said on his podcast (h/t HoopsHype).

"Things aren't working out, you got to move someone that's going to get you the biggest return. They got them Jalen Green. They got them All-Star level Dillon Brooks. And they got them the 10th pick in the draft and five second-round picks. As a second-round pick myself, I think those things are a little bit more valuable than people realize. And so that's kind of my take on the KD's scapegoat comment."

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Durant made these comments after the win, which stirred things up:

"It feels good to play against a team that booted out of the building and scapegoated you for all the problems that they had, and it hurts because I put all my effort and love and care towards the Suns and the Phoenix area and Arizona in general," Durant said (via The Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin).

"But that's just the business, that's the name of the game, so when you play against the team, yeah you got a chip on your shoulder. You don't want to have too big of a chip so that it gets in the way of the game or my teammates, but in the back of my mind it's there.

"It's nothing but love for the players, but I want to beat that team. I want to show them that I still got some juice in the tank, even though I'm old, I still can play. I feel like every player has that mentality playing against their former team. I don't think it's malicious in any way towards them, but as a competitor, you want to go out there and beat them."