Just hours after his blockbuster trade to the Houston Rockets became official, Kevin Durant finally broke his silence, and he did it live on stage at Fanatics Fest in New York City. The 36-year-old superstar, who had spent just over two years in Phoenix, was taking part in an interview with Kay Adams when he was told that Suns fans in the crowd were heartbroken about the news.
Durant’s response? Classic KD.
“I just felt like, yeah, I mean, they wanted me to go. So it’s like, I’m glad we both—you know, they got what they wanted and I got what I wanted, so we can move on. And good luck to them going forward. I’ll always remember my time there, but we on something else.”
His words made it clear: the breakup wasn’t one-sided. Phoenix may have said all the right things publicly, but behind the scenes, both sides were preparing for an exit. And with tensions simmering since the Suns’ disappointing 11th-place finish and first-round exit in the previous season, the writing had been on the wall.
The moment was surreal, even by NBA standards. Durant found out about the trade, officially, while on stage at Fanatics Fest. Fans in the audience yelled out the news, and all Durant could do was grin and nod.
“Fanatics Fest is crazy. If you haven’t been here and been tapped in, anything can happen at Fanatics Fest—like me getting traded. But being a part of the Houston Rockets, I’m looking forward to it. Crazy, crazy last couple weeks, but I’m glad it’s over with.”
When pressed about whether he knew a trade was coming, Durant admitted he had an idea, but not the exact timing.
“Had an idea, but I didn’t know exactly when it was going to happen. So I’m glad we kind of did this on stage. It worked out. Fanatics Fest deserved to have that moment.”
Durant was also candid about the stress of having his future in limbo.
“You know, when people can just hang your career in a balance like that and choose what they want to do with your career, it’s a nerve-wracking feeling. But being able to kind of dictate what you want to do and being with a team that values you, I’m looking forward to it.”
When asked directly if he had a say in where he landed, Durant confirmed he did.
“Most definitely, yeah. I mean, they asked me where I wanted to go, some of my destinations, I gave it to them, and here we are.”
So why Houston?
“They just had a great season last year. Love their leadership. Yeah, I felt like I’d be a good addition.”
As for what comes next, Durant is taking things one step at a time. When asked if he planned to recruit former teammate Russell Westbrook, who is a free agent right now, KD kept it light.
“Don’t know after that. We just got one thing figured out today. We’ll figure the rest out as we go, you know? It’s still early.”
We're speechless, but KD has words🚀@heykayadams catches up with @KDTrey5 for his first interview as a Houston Rocket. pic.twitter.com/ccj5ouju1h
— Fanatics (@Fanatics) June 22, 2025
Kevin Durant is a Rocket now. And if his first words after the trade are any indication, he’s more than ready to turn the page and write a new chapter.
