By TIM REYNOLDS
The Houston Rockets are buying 15-time All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medalist Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns in a blockbuster deal struck Sunday, an individual with information of the settlement advised The Related Press.
The Rockets are giving up Dillon Brooks, Jalen Inexperienced and 6 future picks — together with the No. 10 choice in Wednesday’s opening spherical of this 12 months’s draft — in accordance with the one who spoke to the AP on situation of anonymity as a result of the deal was nonetheless pending NBA approval.
It ends weeks of hypothesis about the place Durant would find yourself. Many groups had been concerned at numerous occasions, together with Miami and Minnesota, however ultimately Phoenix accepted the Rockets’ provide.
ESPN first reported the commerce.
“We’re gonna see, man,” Durant stated from the stage. “We’re gonna see.”
Boardroom, the ever-growing media firm that Durant and his enterprise associate, Wealthy Kleiman, co-founded in 2019, groups up with Fanatics on quite a lot of initiatives. The panel that Durant was set to seem on there Sunday was known as “Global Game Changers.”
He definitely figures to alter the sport for the Rockets.
Houston completed No. 2 within the Western Convention within the common season, albeit 16 video games behind No. 1 Oklahoma Metropolis. It now provides a two-time champion to its younger core because it appears to make one other leap subsequent season.
Durant averaged 26.6 factors this season, his seventeenth within the NBA — not counting one 12 months missed due to damage. For his profession, the 6-foot-11 ahead is averaging 27.2 factors and 7 rebounds per recreation.
The transfer brings Durant again to the state of Texas, the place he performed his one 12 months of faculty basketball for the Longhorns and was the school participant of the 12 months earlier than going because the No. 2 decide within the 2007 draft by Seattle.
Houston will develop into his fifth franchise, becoming a member of the SuperSonics (who then grew to become the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder), Golden State, Brooklyn and Phoenix. Durant gained his two titles with the Warriors in 2017 and 2018, and final summer season in Paris he grew to become the highest-scoring participant in U.S. Olympic basketball historical past and the primary males’s participant to be a part of 4 gold-medal groups.
Durant is a four-time scoring champion, a two-time Finals MVP and certainly one of eight gamers in NBA historical past with greater than 30,000 profession factors, becoming a member of the membership on Feb. 11.
Durant is below contract subsequent season for roughly $50 million earlier than changing into a free agent in 2026.
His departure from the Suns was anticipated and ends a disappointing 2 1/2 years within the desert. Durant by no means loved constant staff success regardless of being a part of a trio that included star guards Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
Durant was acquired by the Suns from the Brooklyn Nets in a four-team trade-deadline deal in 2023, simply days after new proprietor Mat Ishbia purchased the staff for roughly $4 billion. Phoenix gave up lots to accumulate the then-34-year-old, sending younger standouts Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, together with 4 future first-round picks, to Brooklyn.
___
AP Sports activities Author David Brandt in Phoenix contributed to this report.
___
Initially Revealed: June 22, 2025 at 10:14 AM PDT
