Kevin Durant moved to the Rockets in a blockbuster trade with the Suns while the NBA Finals were still on. The NBA world was shocked to see how the former Suns superstar found out that his trade with the Rockets fell through. NBA experts and fans around the world then looked to analyze Durant’s fit on the Rockets. But one person was particularly unhappy that Durant decided to move again: the former NFL linebacker, Emmanuel Acho.
When Acho criticized Kevin Durant on social media, he took this personally. Durant went on X and expressed his true feelings about what Acho said regarding his legacy.
“According to The Great Kevin Durant’s legacy formula that was created in the best labs at MIT, Emmanuel is the worst linebacker of all time. You sure you wanna listen to this guy about greatness?”
What did Emmanuel Acho say that triggered Durant like this? Acho tried to objectively define what a basketball player’s legacy is in the NBA and then categorized Durant’s legacy as very low on that scale.
“The number of championships you win by the teams you played for, to me, is your legacy. Now, KD, two championships, but he has been on five teams at this junction in time. Your legacy is dependent on how many championships you win and how many teams did you have to play on to do it. The more you travel, the more you water down your legacy. Just because the current culture suggests that players move around ain’t mean that’s what it is supposed to be. Because Jokić ain’t moving around, Giannis ain’t moving around, Steph ain’t moving around.”
“Now, to Shady’s point, and he made a beautiful one, how can you fault KD for going to get something, a championship? I’m not faulting him for going to go get it. I’m faulting him because he can’t bring it to him. That’s why he is going to go get it. You only go and get it because it won’t come to you. Shai brought a championship to him. Giannis brought a championship to him. Jokić brought a championship to him. But because KD can’t bring a championship to him, that’s why he has to go get it.”
“He tried to go get it in Brooklyn, he tried to go get it in Phoenix, now he is gonna go get it in Houston. But if you can bring it to you, you wouldn’t have to go get it. So I’m faulting KD… Simply suggesting, not even faulting, that his legacy is watered down. How many chips did you win? And how many teams did you play on to do it? That is your legacy.”
Does This Trade Really Change Kevin Durant’s Legacy?
No, Kevin Durant is still arguably one of the best scorers to ever play in the NBA. While it is true that Durant was traded to multiple championship-contending teams and failed to materialize anything with them (except the Warriors), in both instances, it wasn’t Durant’s fault.
He brought the efficient 20 points a night level consistency to the offence that is expected from him. However, both the Nets and the Suns failed to build a team around Durant that facilitates his needs instead of seeking to fulfill their own. That may not be the case with the Rockets.
The Rockets’ defense this season carried them to the second seed in the Playoffs. But their lack of a scorer who can get buckets whenever he wants cost them a first-round exit against the Warriors. Durant averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game in 2024-25. Even at age 37, he could score at will over any defender.
I am fairly confident that if anything, this move will resurrect Durant’s legacy as the Rockets already had the pieces to do everything else except scoring. And with Durant now taking the burden of that role, it will allow him to play more freely in his position while guiding the Rockets’ young core that already has superstar potential.
