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07/06 14:43 CDT The Kevin Durant trade to Houston sees seven teams involved in
the record-setting deal
The Kevin Durant trade to Houston sees seven teams involved in the
record-setting deal
By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Basketball Writer
Kevin Durant's trade to the Houston Rockets is official and officially
record-setting.
The deal got approved by the NBA on Sunday as part of a seven-team transaction,
one in which a slew of other trade agreements got folded into one massive
package.
"Kevin impacts the game on both ends of the court and is one of the most
efficient scorers in the history of basketball," Rockets general manager Rafael
Stone said. "We liked the growth our team showed last season and believe
Kevin's skill set will integrate seamlessly."
Involved in the deal: Phoenix, Houston, Atlanta, Minnesota, Golden State,
Brooklyn and the Los Angeles Lakers. It includes a total of 13 players --- the
headline moves include Durant going to Houston from Phoenix, the Rockets
sending Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks to the Suns, and the Rockets acquiring
Clint Capela from the Hawks.
The seven-team involvement in the Durant trade tops the previous record, a
six-team transaction last summer that most notably sent Klay Thompson to the
Dallas Mavericks. Golden State --- Thompson's former team --- obviously was
another part of that trade, as were Charlotte, Minnesota, Philadelphia and
Denver on varying levels.
"One of the greatest to ever play the game, we are grateful for the impact
Kevin made on our organization and in our community," Phoenix general manager
Brian Gregory said of Durant. "As a member of the Suns, he climbed the scoring
charts to become just the eighth player in NBA history to score 30,000 career
points, and we wish him the best as he continues his career in Houston."
There will be at least five second-round draft picks in the deal before all
terms are satisfied, the potential for another second-round pick swap and the
Hawks and Timberwolves both had to receive some cash considerations to make all
the math work. And some of those draft picks won't actually be made until 2032,
which raises the serious possibility that some players who will go down in
history as being part of the trade haven't reached high school yet.
Durant averaged 26.6 points last season, his 17th in the NBA --- not counting
one year missed because of injury. For his career, the 6-foot-11 forward is
averaging 27.2 points and seven rebounds per game.
The move brings Durant back to the state of Texas, where he played his only
year of college basketball for the Longhorns and was the college player of the
year before going as the No. 2 pick in the 2007 draft by Seattle.
Houston becomes his fifth franchise, joining the SuperSonics (who then became
the Oklahoma City Thunder), Golden State, Brooklyn and Phoenix. Durant won his
two titles with the Warriors in 2017 and 2018, and last summer in Paris he
became the highest-scoring player in U.S. Olympic basketball history and the
first men's player to be part of four gold-medal teams.
Durant is a four-time scoring champion, a two-time Finals MVP and one of eight
players in NBA history with more than 30,000 career points.
"Having played against Kevin and coached him before, I know he's the type of
competitor who fits with what we've been building here in Houston," Rockets
coach Ime Udoka said. "His skill level, love of basketball, and dedication to
his craft have made him one of the most respected players of his generation,
and my staff and I are excited to work with him."
Houston sent Green and Brooks to Phoenix, along with the rights to Khaman
Maluach from last month's draft, a second-round pick in 2026 and another
second-rounder in 2032. The Hawks got David Roddy, cash and a 2031 second-round
pick swap from the Rockets. Brooklyn gets a 2026 second-round pick and another
in 2030 from the Rockets, and the Warriors received the rights to Jahmai
Mashack from last month's draft.
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