NBA World Reacts to Kevin Durant Trade on Sunday
NBA World Reacts to Kevin Durant Trade on Sunday originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
As NBA fans prepared for a winner-take-all NBA Finals Game 7 between the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, the blockbuster Kevin Durant trade took the basketball world by storm.
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According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Phoenix Suns are trading the two-time NBA Finals MVP to the Houston Rockets, who finished No. 2 in the Western Conference behind Oklahoma City this season.
In return, Phoenix will get Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft and five second-round picks to form a new core around four-time All-Star guard Devin Booker.
Here's what the NBA world had to say about the Durant trade on Sunday.
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23)© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Right away, the most notable response came from Durant himself. The 36-year-old was at Fanatics Fest in New York when the news broke, and fans recorded his immediate reaction.
He did an interview with Kay Adams from the event shortly after, stating that he "had an idea" about the trade but did not know the news would come out when it did.
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He expressed relief that the constant trade rumors of the past few weeks could be put to rest.
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, another star player subject to trade rumors since the Bucks' postseason run ended, shared his shock in a two-word message on X.
San Antonio Spurs guard Jeremy Sochan needed even fewer words, opting for a gif as he held back his opinion of Durant joining one of San Antonio's in-state rivals.
The news breaking at Fanatics Fest led to live reactions from other people who were there and found out the news in person rather than social media. Sports stars like Tom Brady and LeBron James graced the event, mixing with big time social media influencers like Olivia Dunne and Kai Cenat.
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NBA legend Allen Iverson had his gobsmacked reaction caught on camera.
Durant averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game last season. In his three seasons with the Suns, the team did not make it past the Western Conference semifinals. They missed the NBA playoffs completely in the 2024-2025 season.
Related: Giannis Antetokounmpo Had Two Words After Kevin Durant Trade
Related: LeBron James Reveals What Bronny Thinks About Big Career Decision
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
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