After months of speculation, the Kevin Durant trade has finally gone through. And it’s the Houston Rockets who came out on top. In a blockbuster deal, the Rockets landed the former MVP from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft, and five second-round picks.
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The move has sparked massive reactions across the basketball world, but few were as excited as Stephen A. Smith. The ESPN analyst was absolutely thrilled with the move, not just for Houston, but for Kevin Durant himself.
When asked to comment on the trade on SportsCenter, Stephen A. said people have forgotten just how good Durant still is because of how poorly things went in Phoenix. The Suns struggled with injuries and inconsistent depth. Despite boasting big names like KD, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, they failed to live up to expectations, not even making it to the playoffs this season.
According to Stephen A., Durant was never the problem. Now, he believes KD is back in a position to truly remind everyone of what he’s capable of. He said, “I’m ecstatic. I’m ecstatic for the Houston Rockets, I’m ecstatic for him because I think he’s back in the championship equation.”
“He’s instant offense,” Smith said, while highlighting Durant’s elite efficiency and scoring ability. Even at 36, Durant remains one of the most lethal weapons in the game, a matchup nightmare who can get a bucket from anywhere on the floor. “Still averaging 27 a game, still shooting over 50% from the field, still shooting nearly 40% from the three-point line range, nearly 90% from the free throw line,” Smith said.
Stephen A. also pushed back on the narrative that Durant can’t lead a team anymore. He firmly believes Durant is still a bona fide number one option, and now that he’s paired with a young and athletic core in Houston, he has the right situation to thrive. Players like Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, and Fred VanVleet complement Durant’s skill set perfectly.
Stephen A. believes the Rockets have a lot of talent on the roster. They finished second in the regular season, so the claim is true. But they were missing a “bona fide number one scoring option,” and now they’ve got that too.
