“A little upset” – Kevin Durant gets candid about his feelings of moving on from Phoenix Suns stint

The Phoenix Suns moved on from All-Star forward Kevin Durant this summer, shipping him to the Houston Rockets as they rebuild the team around Devin Booker. Durant wasn’t the only star who moved on from Phoenix. The organization finalized a contract buyout for All-Star guard Bradley Beal, who eventually signed with the LA Clippers.

KD discussed his experience of being traded by the Suns in an interview on CNBC’s Game Plan 2025. According to the 15-time All-Star, he thought he had built a strong relationship with the franchise, and seeing how it ended was upsetting for Durant.

“Initially, I was a little upset because I felt like we built a solid relationship,” Durant stated. “Me and the Phoenix Suns. And to hear that from a different party was kind of upsetting, but that’s just the name of the game. So I got over that quickly and was trying to figure out what the next steps were.”

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Kevin Durant found out that his former team, the Golden State Warriors, was part of the trade conversation. That was when his agent, Rich Kleiman, tried to get involved since they had prior relationships with the Warriors.

"I heard Golden State was in the mix around the trade deadline," he added. "That's where Rich [Kleiman] came into play, and those relationships that we built around the league, and also playing in Golden State, helped. So, he was able to tell them that. Kind of hold off on that."

Ultimately, it was the Rockets who acquired the two-time NBA champion. With Houston, Kevin Durant will serve as the veteran leader and go-to guy offensively. After he was traded, the Texas team became one of the title favorites, since they had just finished the 2024-25 season as the third seed in the West.

Kevin Durant is open to playing in the 2028 Olympics

Team USA had just won the gold medal in basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The next tournament won't be until 2028, in Los Angeles. However, there have been speculations on which players will be part of the national team's roster.

Since the competition won't be for a while, there have been questions about whether some of the veteran players will return. Kevin Durant expressed his interest in winning a fifth gold medal.

“Yeah, if I’m still me. I don’t want the gift of the veteran, ‘Come sit on the bench, get your fifth.'”

Although the roster is still being determined, Durant may well receive an invitation to join the squad if he hasn't retired before then.

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About the author

Reign Amurao

Reign Amurao specializes in basketball at Sportskeeda, bringing 3 years of experience to his role and a Bachelor's Degree in Communication.

A fervent supporter of the Phoenix Suns, Reign was hooked to their electrifying "Seven-Seconds-Or-Less" offense, which epitomizes high-paced and high-intensity basketball. For Reign, Steve Nash is the ultimate floor general, and he believes Boris Diaw could've been the next Magic Johnson if he had a bit more discipline. 

From Reign's perspective, Anthony Edwards is a 90s player stuck in modern times, and Gregg Popovich is an ultimate winner with unparalleled success and leadership in the sport.

Reign's expertise lies in NBA history, particularly the significant moments and trends of the 2000s and 2010s. He prioritizes in-depth research using only credible sources to maintain accuracy in his articles, and avoids misleading topics.

Beyond basketball, Reign enjoys gaming with friends and watches comedy shows and films.

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