The biggest blockbuster trade of the offseason was arguably Kevin Durant’s move to the Houston Rockets, ending his turbulent two-year stint with the Phoenix Suns. And ahead of suiting up for the Rockets — the fifth team in his career — KD opened up about how the fan base reacted to his arrival.
Advertisement
Durant, along with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, were tipped to form a super-team in Phoenix, but it failed horribly. The Suns failed to reach the postseason this year. It proved to be the final straw, and the franchise has decided to rebuild.
Durant, in any case, was never a right fit and admittedly didn’t look his best. The Suns sent him to the Rockets and got Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, 2025 No. 10 pick Khaman Maluach, and five future second-round picks. The news that KD would be moving to Texas took the NBA community by storm.
It even caught the two-time NBA champion off guard, as he found out about it while on stage at Fanatics Fest in New York City. It’s been a few weeks since then, and Durant has now had time to reflect on the move and take in the way the Houston fans have welcomed him.
The forward was asked how the Rockets faithful “embraced him” on Boardroom. “Yeah, they [are] happy now, we’ll see, we’ll see how it goes when we start playing,” Durant, with all honesty, replied.
“You know how it is. But yeah, I’m excited, new opportunity, always good to keep playing. I love playing ball, so to keep playing in my 18th — going 19th year in the league is sweet,” added KD.
Durant began with a smile, perhaps a wry one, because he knows all too well how fans of his former teams tend to treat him. He didn’t say much, but maybe he didn’t have to.
Thunder, Warriors, Nets, and Suns fans were all ecstatic when he arrived. And three out of those four were left disappointed when he left without delivering a championship.
If things don’t go well in Houston, Durant knows his legacy could be at risk of getting tainted. And the same Rockets fans who are elated right now might soon be calling for his head. That’s why he chose his words carefully and avoided setting high expectations right out of the gate.
That said, KD’s addition could be just what the young and talented Rockets team needs to become a serious force in the Western Conference. They finished #2 last year, but got eliminated by Golden State in Round 1 of the Playoffs.
They were exciting to watch. But critics felt that they lacked the maturity and experience to get past the Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green hurdle.
Paul Pierce, as such, feels that Durant’s addition will change that. “Everybody [is] always talking about KD. ‘He ain’t a leader’ and all this. He is a leader! If I’m a young dude and KD’s in my practice, I’m watching KD’s work ethic. He puts it in, he puts the work in,” he said.
Pierce called for the likes of Amen Thompson to learn from Durant and get inspired by his work. If that happens, the Rockets, with one of the greatest scorers of all time, could emerge as proper contenders.
