Mar 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) looks up after a play during the first quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Draymond Green Reacts to Blockbuster Kevin Durant, Rockets Trade

Originally posted on Golden State Warriors on SI
By Liam Willerup | Last updated Jun 26, 2025 5:51 PM ET

The NBA offseason is just getting started, with free agency set to begin on June 30th, where teams can begin to negotiate with free agents but have to wait till July 6th to sign contracts. However, with the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft passed, plenty of changes around the league have already happened.

Before the trade, several blockbuster trades went down, but perhaps now bigger than the Phoenix Suns sending superstar forward Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the 10th overall pick (which became Khaman Maluach), and five second-round picks. Taking his chance to react, Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green chimed in on the deal.

"Any time you can add a Kevin Durant, it's an upgrade," Green said on The Draymond Green Show . "I don't care who you are as a team... It's KD. You add him to the roster, your roster is better... I think when I look at this, it's an upgrade. KD has his familiarity with Ime Udoka as a coach... This team did the least gutting of a roster that a team may have had to do to make an upgrade."

Green and Durant shared the court as teammates with the Golden State Warriors from 2016 to 2019, winning two titles and coming short of a three-peat due to some unfortunate injuries. And despite the fact that he'll turn 37 before the start of next season, Green knows that Durant is still one of the best players in the world.

Kevin Durant and the Rockets are discussing a 2-year, $112M extension, per ESPN

Houston is focused on having KD retire as a Rocket. (h/t @RealGM) pic.twitter.com/rE7PZaL1yq
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 26, 2025

After earning the second seed in the Western Conference last season, the Rockets will look to have more playoff success next year after being beaten in the first round by the Warriors. Now with Durant alongside young talents like Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun, the Rockets could be poised for a major jump next season.

This article first appeared on Golden State Warriors on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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