Friday, September 12, 2025

Durant now officially a Rocket

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THE NBA’s first seven-team trade is official on Sunday (Monday in Manila) with the start of the new league year as 15-time All-Star forward Kevin Durant is moving from the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets, ESPN reported.

The transaction, initially reported on June 22, also involves the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves, per the report.

The Rockets added Durant as well as veteran Clint Capela, who played for Houston from 2014-20 before spending the last five seasons with the Hawks.

The Suns received guard Jalen Green, guard/forward Dillon Brooks, center KhamanMaluach (the No. 10 overall pick of the 2025 draft, from Houston), forward Rasheer Fleming (31st pick of draft, from Minnesota), guard Koby Brea(41st pick, from Golden State), guard DaeqwonPlowden (from Atlanta) and a second-round selection.

The Nets ended up with two second-round draft picks, while the Warriors acquired forward Alex Toohey (52nd overall pick in 2025, from Phoenix) and JahmaiMashack (59th pick, from Houston).

The Lakers added forward AdouThiero, the 36th overall draft pick, from Brooklyn.

Atlanta swapped second-round picks and also brought in veteran forward David Roddy from Houston and cash.

The Timberwolves added Rocco Zikarsky (45th overall pick of 2025 draft, from the Lakers), two second-round selections and cash.

Durant now is eligible to sign a two-year extension worth up to $122 million. He has one season left on his current deal and is set to earn $54.7 million in 2025-26.

Durant will join a Rockets team that finished the regular season as the second seed in the Western Conference. The star forward will join All-Star AlperenSengun, Amen Thompson and Fred VanVleet, among others, in Houston.

Durant, who turns 37 in September, played in 62 games with the Suns in 2024-25. He averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 blocks, not far off of his career averages. He also shot 43.0 percent from 3-point range.

Selected to the All-NBA first team six times and the Most Valuable Player for the 2013-14 season, Durant has appeared in 1,123 games with the Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder (2007-16), Golden State Warriors (2016-19), Brooklyn Nets (2020-23) and Suns. He has career averages of 27.2 points, 7.0 rebounds. 4.4 assists and 1.1 blocks, shooting 39 percent from long distance.

Green, 23, averaged 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists while starting in all 82 games last season. He now joins All-Star Devin Booker in a potent backcourt for Phoenix.

Green has contributed 20.1 points, 4.3 boards and 3.4 assists in 307 games (all starts) since being selected by the Rockets with the second overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft.

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