The Houston Rockets are finalizing a trade for 15-time All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medalist Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns this Sunday.
The Rockets have surrendered Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, and six future draft picks, including the 10th overall pick in Wednesday’s opening round of this year’s draft. The deal remains pending NBA approval, according to a source who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
After weeks of speculation about Durant’s future, the mystery is resolved. Several teams, including Miami and Minnesota, were in the mix at various points, but ultimately Phoenix accepted Houston’s offer.
ESPN was the first to report on the trade.
Fans reacted to the news while Durant was on stage at Fanatics Fest NYC in New York, prompting him to break into laughter.
“We’ll see, man,” Durant said from the stage. “We’re going to see it.”
The Executive Office, a burgeoning media company co-founded by Durant and his business partner Rich Clyman in 2019, has collaborated with Fanatics on various projects. Durant was scheduled to appear on a panel titled “Global Game Changer.”
He certainly believes it will transform the Rockets.
Houston finished second in the regular season Western Conference, trailing Oklahoma City by 16 games. Acquiring Durant adds a two-time champion to a young core, indicating that they are preparing for a significant leap next season.
Durant averaged 26.6 points this season, ranking 17th in the NBA. Throughout his career, the 6-foot-11 forward has averaged 27.2 points and 7 rebounds per game.
This trade brings Durant back to Texas, where he played a season of college basketball for the Longhorns before being selected second overall in the 2007 draft by Seattle.
Houston will mark his fifth franchise, joining the SuperSonics (which became the Oklahoma City Thunder), Golden State, Brooklyn, and Phoenix. Durant claimed two titles with the Warriors in 2017 and 2018, and in Paris last summer, he became the highest-scoring player in U.S. Olympic basketball history, also being the first male player to win four gold medals.
Durant is a four-time scoring champion, a two-time Finals MVP, and one of only eight players in NBA history to surpass 30,000 career points, achieving this milestone on February 11th.
He is expected to sign for approximately $50 million next season before hitting free agency in 2026.
His exit from Phoenix was anticipated, ending a disappointing two and a half years in the desert. Despite being part of a star trio with guards Devin Booker and Bradley Beale, team success eluded Durant.
Durant was acquired by the Suns from the Brooklyn Nets shortly after new owner Matt Ishbia’s acquisition of the team in a complicated four-team trade that occurred at the 2023 deadline. Ishbia purchased the team for about $4 billion. Phoenix gave up significant assets to acquire the then 34-year-old Durant, sending young stars Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson to Brooklyn along with four future first-round picks.
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Phoenix AP sports writer David Blunt contributed to this report.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Source: apnews.com