KEVIN DURANT MOVES TO HOUSTON FOR A BUNCH OF THINGS

Kevin Durant is on the move again—this time to Houston—and just like that, another promising young core is about to orbit around him.

It’s a familiar story. KD leaves behind a situation that may or may not have soured, just like he did with Brooklyn. And while he’ll always be a Top 25 all-time NBA player—15-time All-Star, two-time Finals MVP, league MVP, 11-time All-NBA including six First Team nods, and two-time champion—Durant's aura has shifted.

Since leaving Golden State, he’s only played more than 70 games once. More telling, each new stop starts with promise (usually ending in the conference semis) and quickly regresses (first-round exits or worse).

Year 3 in Phoenix?

No play-in, no playoffs.

So while Durant wanting out of Phoenix makes sense, the Suns also had their reasons for showing him the door.

In return, Phoenix gets Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and five second-rounders. Each part of that trade serves a purpose: Green is the raw upside, Brooks is the firestarter, and the picks are insurance.

With KD gone, Devin Booker retakes full control of the Suns. He always said it was his team—but now, there’s no shadow to hide under. It echoes LeBron’s superteam blueprint: Durant is the superstar acquisition aiming to take the reins like LBJ, Booker channels Wade or Kyrie, and Bradley Beal becomes the downgraded third option in the mold of Bosh or Love. The big difference? Phoenix lacked the rebounding and durability that those earlier trios had. LeBron hated missing games; Durant seems more comfortable with the DNPs.

Beal is now on the trade block. Phoenix is expected to flip him for a big man and possibly use that 10th pick as added leverage.

As for Houston, they now have a certified alpha male. But with Durant comes baggage. Giving him too much control could derail the culture they’ve built. Still, they offloaded their most erratic scorer (Green) and the league’s current chaos king (Brooks). Veterans like Fred VanVleet remain, and they’ve got a nice stable of young talent: Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore, and Tari Eason.

KD will need help. Enter Steven Adams, a familiar face from OKC, and possibly Jeff Green if Houston re-signs him. But make no mistake—some of these kids are about to see their minutes vanish. Including recent draftee Reed Sheppard, at least three of them could end up buried on the bench or traded for future assets.

When the Suns first got Durant, they gave up Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and a war chest of picks, one of which became Noah Clowney. This time, Houston gave up flawed players and second-rounders. Unless one turns into the next Jokic, it’s a low-risk gamble.

Durant may not be the same championship catalyst, but he’s still better than 90% of the league.

His next chapter with the Rockets?

Risky, polarizing, but definitely must-watch.