Kevin Durant surely knew a trade away from the Phoenix Suns was coming. Durant will enter the final season of his contract next season, so now is the prime time for Phoenix's front office to cash in on an All-NBA talent. While Durant is 36 years old and will be 37 before the start of the 2025-26 season, he can still score with the best of them, as he averaged a shade under 27 points per game last year on close to 53 percent shooting. There are little holes in his game offensively, which will make him a tremendous fit in Houston. However, when asked to give an initial reaction to the move, the now-Rocket didn't quite know what to say.
Durant was scheduled to make an appearance at FanaticsFest, and just as he went on the stage he was traded. The timing couldn't have been worse for Durant, who was trying to process the blockbuster in real time, just like the rest of us. Heck, the Suns and Rockets ought to have known Durant's schedule. Feeding Shams Charania this news just as Durant was going on stage is a legendary PR failure on their end. When asked about the trade, KD had little to say.
"We’re gonna see man, we’re gonna see," Durant said at FanaticsFest.
Kevin Durant wasn't ready for the trade spotlight
Durant didn't know what to say because how could he? Sure, KD had to know there was a possibility he was dealt to Houston this weekend. However, his schedule at FanaticsFest was available long in advance for Phoenix. Rather than holding onto this news – and asking the Rockets to do so as well – they allowed work to get out of the organization. It's not exactly surprising of a team run by Mat Ishiba, of all people.
By acting surprised and ill-informed, Durant is already in damage control mode with Rockets fans. Houston is a proud basketball fanbase, and are hungry for another NBA title. Durant could very well be the missing piece, but his initial reaction of 'uh, idk' about the trade wasn't the best look. It also shouldn't be shocking given Durant wasn't told he'd be looking for real estate in Texas until he reached the stage in New York City.
Rockets and Suns made out well in Kevin Durant trade
As for Houston and Phoenix, both teams made out fairly well in said move. Phoenix received Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the No. 10 overall pick in this year's draft. Green and Devin Booker will be an intriguing backcourt next season, but also a flawed one. Both players can be trigger happy and turnover prone when asked to do too much, especially in terms of playing point and ball-handling.
As for the Rockets, they are a great fit for Durant. Houston is a competent defensive team even without Green in the picture. They can hide Durant on the defensive end, allowing the soon-to-be 37-year-old focus solely on his scoring prowess. At this point in his career, that's exactly what KD needs.
As long as he can overcome this minor hurdle with Rockets fans, all of whom should understand he was put in a difficult position on stage in NYC, he'll be a force to be reckoned with in H-Town.