Kevin Durant Reveals Why He Wanted To Get Traded To Rockets

NBA legend Kevin Durant spoke to Kay Adams at Fanatics Fest in New York after the Phoenix Suns traded him to the Houston Rockets. 

Adams asked Durant why he wanted to get traded to the Rockets. 

“They just had a great season last year,” Durant said. “Love their leadership. And I felt like I’d be a good addition.”

The Rockets went 52-30 this season. They were the second seed in the West and made the playoffs for the first time since 2020. 

Houston lost to the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the 2025 playoffs in seven games, but now the franchise is adding the eighth-leading scorer in NBA history. 

A 15-time All-Star, Durant remains a lethal offensive weapon. He averaged 26.6 points for the Suns this season while shooting 52.7% from the field, 43.0% from beyond the arc and 83.9% from the free-throw line. 

The Rockets now have Durant, Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Steven Adams and Fred VanVleet. That core can compete for a championship under head coach Ime Udoka, who worked with Durant on the Brooklyn Nets in 2020-21. 

Durant, 36, has one year left on his contract. The NBA icon can extend with Houston for up to two years, $122.1 million starting on July 6.

A top 75 player of all time, Durant turns 37 in September. He’s played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Warriors, Brooklyn Nets and Suns.

KD won four scoring titles and the 2014 MVP Award with OKC and back-to-back championships and Finals MVPs with Golden State in 2017 and 2018. 

Durant hasn’t advanced past the second round of the playoffs since leaving the Warriors in 2019. He’s also been swept in the first round of the postseason twice. 

Phoenix acquired Durant from Brooklyn in 2023. The Suns won just one postseason series during the Durant-Devin Booker era. 

A Texas product, Durant has career averages of 27.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 1,123 NBA games. He now doesn’t have to pay state income taxes since he’s moving to Texas.