NBA Suns trade star forward Kevin Durant to Rockets: ESPN
The swap, which can be completed when the league begins the 2025-26 year in two weeks, would send the 36-year-old American to Houston in exchange for guard Jalen Green and swingman Dillon Brooks as well as the 10th pick in Wednesday's NBA Draft and five future second-round picks, according to the report, citing unnamed sources.
The move unites Durant, a four-time Olympic champion with the US squad and the 2014 NBA MVP, with a rising young Houston squad guided by coach Ime Udoka that finished 52-30, second in the Western Conference behind overall NBA leader Oklahoma City.
The Suns had the highest payroll in NBA history but stumbled to a 36-46 season, finishing 11th in the West, with Durant averaging 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 blocked shots a game.
Terms can be agreed for NBA moves but cannot be finalized until the moratorium ahead of the new league season ends in July.
Durant has an expiring $54.7 million contract but would be eligible for a two-year extension after a trade, which narrowed likely suitors to the teams where he would sign a longer-term deal.
Durant had sought a trade to Miami, Houston or San Antonio and got a club on his wish list.
The second-round picks in the deal coming to Phoenix include Wednesday's 59th overall selection, two choices in 2026, a 2030 pick and a 2032 selection, ESPN reported.
Durant will fit into a Rockets lineup boasting Turkish big man Alperen Sengun and guard Fred VanVleet.
Durant has a good relationship with Udoka, who signed a long-term deal last week to remain as Houston's coach. Durant and Udoka worked together with the Brooklyn Nets and on the US Olympic squad.
The Suns will add Green, who averaged 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists this season to their backcourt alongside NBA All-Star Devin Booker, who had 25.6 points, 7.1 assists and 4.1 rebounds a game for Phoenix.
Brooks was one of the NBA's top defenders last season.
Durant joined Phoenix in February 2023 in a trade with Brooklyn that cost the Suns three players and four first-round draft picks.
No. 2 pick in 2007
Durant began his NBA journey as the second selection in the 2007 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics, who moved to Oklahoma City in 2008.
Durant, a four-time NBA scoring champion with the Thunder, sparked his team to the NBA Finals in 2012, when Oklahoma City lost to the LeBron James-led Miami Heat. Durant was the 2014 NBA MVP, but the Thunder lost to San Antonio in that year's Western Conference finals.
In 2016, the Thunder blew a 3-1 series lead and lost to Golden State in the West finals. The Warriors went on to lose to the James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.
That prompted Golden State players to ask Durant, a free agent, to sign with them. Durant inked a two-year deal with the Warriors and they beat Cleveland in the 2017 and 2018 finals.
But when chasing a three-peat in 2019, Durant suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the NBA Finals against Toronto and he left for Brooklyn the following month.
Durant missed the 2019-20 campaign due to his injury.
In his seasons with the Nets, they never got past the second round of the playoffs, setting up the trade to Phoenix.
With Durant, the Suns won only one playoff series in three seasons before the swap with the Rockets, who missed the playoffs four years in a row before falling to Golden State in this year's first round.