Heading into the 2025 offseason, it was clear that Kevin Durant wouldn’t be part of the Phoenix Suns anymore. Just hours before Game 7 of the Finals, it was confirmed that the Houston Rockets had acquired him. Since then, fans, players, and experts have all been buzzing about how exciting it will be to watch the Hall of Famer join a young, talented team that’s ready to contend for a title. Cam Whitmore, however, took it a step further.
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Whitmore was recently traded away from Houston to the Washington Wizards, so the franchise could make space for Durant, and that’s something he didn’t fully appreciate. After all, he went from a team with a real shot at finishing in the top three in the West to one that, in all likelihood, won’t even be in the playoff picture.
The 21-year-old star recently spoke with Brandon Robinson about making way for Durant. While he was supportive of the move, he is looking forward to when the Wizards play the Rockets in the upcoming season, likely because he has a bit of revenge on his mind.
“I mean, Kevin Durant’s a fit, but at the end of the day that calendar is marked when the day comes, and so it’s gonna be a good game,” he said with confidence.
Cam Whitmore thoughts on Kevin Durant playing for the Rockets
“I mean, Kevin Durant’s a fit, but at the end of the day, that calendar is marked when the day comes, and so it’s gonna be a good game.”
(Via @ScoopB) pic.twitter.com/66MDUpi1gX
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) July 29, 2025
It’s pretty bold to challenge not just the Rockets, but Durant himself. KD’s god-like skills on the court are matched only by his desire to silence anyone who talks trash. He may get that chance when the two teams face off. When exactly? We’ll find out in mid-August when the schedules are released.
Houston GM Rafael Stone had nothing but kind words for Whitmore after his departure. However, he made it clear that the Rockets were no longer a developmental team and that Whitmore could “learn” more elsewhere.
“An unbelievable upgrade for the Rockets,” according to NBA insider.
Houston fans enjoyed watching Whitmore play, but most are ecstatic about the idea of Durant joining H-Town and leading their young core to potential glory. They see it as a massive win, even if it meant parting ways with Whitmore, along with Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green, who were also sacrificed to make the move happen.
NBA analyst Tim Bontemps said on NBA on ESPN that Durant helps the Rockets fill in the gaps and almost guarantees they’ll go further in the playoffs than they did last year. Why? For starters, he believes Durant is a significant upgrade over Green.
“That is an unbelievable upgrade for the Rockets,” Bontemps said. “Big part of why Houston lost in the first round of the playoffs was Jalen Green simply wasn’t good enough as a scorer… under 30% from three, under 40% from the field..”
“Kevin Durant, while he’s not the player he was in the past, he’s still a 50-40-90 guy, that’s an easy 25 on any given night,” he added. “He completely slots in the role as his team’s primary scorer.”
Bontemps was not wrong. KD’s stats speak for themselves. The only thing worth pointing out is how his time with the Suns coincided with the franchise’s decline after their 2021 NBA Finals appearance.
Is that all on KD? Absolutely not. The blame also falls on ownership, the coaching staff, and other stars like Devin Booker and now ex-Sun Bradley Beal. Still, it’s wild that the team didn’t improve with Durant in the mix. Some Rockets fans are probably crossing their fingers, hoping history doesn’t repeat itself in H-Town.
