Rumor: Kevin Durant May Have Been Traded To Mavericks Instead Of Rockets If Kyrie Irving Hadn’t Torn ACL

Kevin Durant may have been traded to the Dallas Mavericks instead of the Houston Rockets if Kyrie Irving hadn’t torn his left ACL last season, according to NBA insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson. 

“In just talking to people across the league, I got the sense, and I started reporting it around February, March, that had Kyrie Irving not injured his knee, tore his ACL, we might be having another conversation about Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving as members of the Dallas Mavericks,” Robinson said.

“Kyrie Irving’s injury, his knee, really was, no pun intended, the Achilles heel as to why KD did not find a way to the Dallas Mavericks.”

Durant and Irving were teammates on the Brooklyn Nets. Durant also played with Klay Thompson on the Golden State Warriors. 

The Mavericks won the 2025 NBA Draft lottery and selected Duke forward Cooper Flagg. Dallas now has a core of Flagg, Irving, Thompson and Anthony Davis. 

Meanwhile, the Rockets have Durant, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun, Dorian Finney-Smith and Fred VanVleet.

According to NBA insiders Kelly Iko and Sam Amick of The Athletic, Durant is “incredibly excited” about getting traded to the Rockets. 

“According to a source close to Durant, the future Hall of Famer is ‘incredibly excited’ about the opportunity to join a contender in Houston, surrounded by a talented coaching staff and top-five defensive unit,” Iko and Amick wrote. “The news broke just as he was being interviewed in New York for Fanatics Fest, with the 14-time All-Star letting out a huge grin in front of hundreds of adoring fans.

“Durant has one season remaining on his current contract (worth $54.7 million). Yet while he may not sign an extension when he’s eligible in July, team sources said there is a strong belief that this will be a long-term partnership. On paper, the Rockets’ potential looks extremely promising.”

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