Kevin Durant. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Where was Kevin Durant when he found out about Rockets trade?

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Jun 22, 2025 3:28 PM ET

The Phoenix Suns traded star forward Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets in a blockbuster deal on Sunday. He learned of the trade in front of a live audience.

Durant was amid an interview with Amazon Prime/Turner Sports broadcaster Taylor Rooks at Fanatics Fest in New York City when the news broke. Whether the 36-year-old sharpshooter knew about the impending trade remains unclear, but he seemed surprised.

"We're gonna see man, we're gonna see," Durant said when asked of his immediate reaction to the trade.

After his on-stage interview with Rooks, Durant told FanDuel's Kay Adams, "I'm looking forward to [joining the Rockets]."

Kevin Durant found out he was being traded to the Rockets while he was on stage at Fanatics Fest.pic.twitter.com/rFAMwJZlWa
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) June 22, 2025

Several fans booed after hearing the news. They were likely New York Knicks supporters who hoped the team would acquire the two-time Finals MVP.

The Knicks were a long shot to land Durant. Before Phoenix sent him to Houston, ESPN's Shams Charania reported Durant's preferred landing spots were the Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat.

If the Knicks had acquired him, he may have pushed the team to the next level. This past season, New York reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years but lost to the Indiana Pacers in six games.

The Rockets gave up a haul for Durant. The deal included guard Jalen Green, forward Dillon Brooks, pick No. 10 in the 2025 NBA Draft and five second-round picks.

Durant, however, could be the last piece Houston needs to become a bona fide championship contender.

This season, the Rockets went 52-30 in the regular season but lost to the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs in the Western Conference. Durant, meanwhile, averaged 26.6 points per game in 62 regular-season games with the Suns, the sixth most in the NBA.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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