Rockets ‘Couldn’t Pass Up’ Opportunity to Trade for Kevin Durant from Suns

The Houston Rockets always made the most sense for a potential Kevin Durant trade, and the Suns ended up choosing to deal him to Houston this summer after months of weighing their options.

While the Suns lost an all-time great and chose to move in a younger direction around Devin Booker, the Rockets added Durant to a team already filled with young talent that was the No. 2 seed in the West a season ago.

"I think that when we looked at it, there's just not many people in the history of the NBA who have the capacity to do what Kevin's done consistently throughout his career," Rockets general manager Rafael Stone said of Durant at the team's media day Monday. "We just felt like that it became an opportunity we couldn't pass up.

"So it really had nothing to do with with the guys who moved out. It was much more about Kevin and and desiring to bring him in. He's kind of a singular talent, and so, yeah, we're very excited."

The Rockets were one of Durant's three preferred destinations along with the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs.

San Antonio never made a real offer, so it eventually came down to the Rockets and Heat, and Phoenix liked Houston's offer a lot better, landing Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, No. 10 pick Khaman Maluach, No. 31 pick Rasheer Fleming, No. 41 pick Koby Brea and a 2026 second-round pick in exchange for Durant.

Durant said he "wasn't expecting to leave Phoenix so quickly," but landed in a situation where he was very comfortable with the coaching staff and how they would use him.

READ: Kevin Durant 'Wasn't Expecting' To Leave Suns So Quickly

Ime Udoka Reacts to Kevin Durant Trade

Throughout the whole process of trade rumors, Houston was reportedly hesitant in its offers for Durant coming off a very successful season that saw them fall short in the playoffs, but ultimately gave the best package for him.

The Rockets have a lot of familiarity with Durant, who was previously under coach Ime Udoka as an assistant with the Brooklyn Nets and was teammates with assistant coach Royal Ivey, as well as Jeff Green and Steven Adams. Durant also played his college basketball at the University of Texas.

"I think we don't react to anything. As far as the playoffs, we knew if we brought that same unit back, we'd take a step an continue to grow," Udoka said of the trade. "And things didn't present the way they did. We've been fine going back into it with the same group.

"And so things shake out. We weren't shopping anybody or anything like that. It was what became available and who wanted to come and things of that nature. And so it was opportunity for us, and we took a look at it then."

Durant and Udoka have a very close relationship from their Brooklyn days and playing against each other, and Durant said Udoka was a big reason why he wanted to come to Houston.

Udoka discussed what Durant will bring to the table for the Rockets.

"I've been around him quite a bit, and played against him, coached against him for a long time," Udoka said of Durant. "And so the things that he does, achievements, accolades, those things that go without saying.

"I think more so than anything, it's just a continued elevation of our group and expectations. I think what he does as far as the professionalism night in, night out, with his work ethic and some of the things I've seen when I've coached him and been around him in different settings, it really will rub off on a team, and it has already."

Durant, who turned 37 Monday, proved that he was still at the top of his game despite his age even with Phoenix's shortcomings the last two seasons, and he will now look to carry that over to a new team.

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