Kevin Durant is beginning a new chapter with his fifth team as he has joined the Houston Rockets during the offseason. He was part of a historic trade that involved seven NBA teams.
Durant had an inkling of where he would end up, but never knew when it would be finalized.
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In July, all the speculation ended as the announcement of his trade rocked the NBA world. KD found out about it during a hilarious situation — an interview at the Fanatics Fest in New York City in front of hundreds of fans.
Since then, he has come to terms with his new situation. However, Durant recently said the trade stung him as he had always thought he had formed a deep relationship with the Phoenix Suns organization. His trade proved otherwise and the two-time NBA champion finally broke his silence.
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“I was a little upset because, you know. I felt like we built a solid relationship — me and the Phoenix Suns,” he said in front of the attendees of the CNBC x Boardroom’s GamePlan 2025 Summit. “To hear that from a different party was kind of upsetting.”
Durant vs the Suns fans
The Brooklyn Nets traded Durant to the Suns in 2023. Donning the No. 35 jersey once more at Phoenix, he played as another superstar in Devin Booker.
However, the duo was not able to lead the Suns to playoff success. The team reached the Western Conference Semifinals but ultimately fell to the Denver Nuggets. Then, in the next season, the Suns exited early in the first round against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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As a result, Suns fans blamed Durant for all of the team’s disappointments in the playoffs. While KD believed that he had good ties with the organization, it’s clear that the same cannot be said of his relationship with the fans. So at the end he felt relieved when he finally got out of Phoenix.
“They wanted me to go. They got what they wanted, and I got what I wanted,” Durant said. “We can move on and good luck to them going forward. Always remember my time there, but we’re going on to something else.”
Related: Dennis Rodman expressed frustration with today’s generation of athletes: “You make all this damn money but you ain’t helping a soul in the world”
Part of the game
Durant has been playing in the NBA for seventeen years, so he knows the business side of the game all too well, which is why he dwelt so much on the trade.
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“That’s just the name of the game,” he said. “So I got over that quickly and was trying to figure out what the next steps were.”
Durant’s next steps are clear, and he is willing to join the team.
“I’m just one of the guys. I don’t think too much about being a GOAT (greatest of all-time), or being a veteran in the league, or who’s watching me when I work out. I just don’t really care too much about that. I just try to come in and be one of the guys,” he said.
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He is expected to bolster a rising Houston Rockets team led by All-Star Alperen Sengun and emerging young star Amen Thompson. At 37, Durant is nearing his twilight years and is seeking to add more to his legacy with the Rockets. A new story awaits as he choose to leave all the heartbreak and disappointment with Phoenix in the past.
Related: “That’s his message to a lot of the young guys” – Ime Udoka reveals a role Kevin Durant will have on the Houston Rockets
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 18, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.