NBA World Reacts to Kevin Durant Being Traded to Rockets

This was crazy.

Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant on Mar 16, 2025. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Game 7 of the NBA finals was briefly overshadowed on Sunday afternoon when ESPN insider Shams Charania revealed superstar Kevin Durant had been traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft, and five second-round picks.

BREAKING: The Phoenix Suns are trading two-time NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft and five second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/EwrbA2ES9O

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 22, 2025

Although the exact timing of a deal was not known, the possibility has been on the table for months and has been gaining traction since the end of the Suns' season. Moreover, the Rockets have seemingly been a frontrunner in that conversation for a while now.

Given the magnitude of the trade, which is so far the biggest of the offseason—overshadowing that which sent Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic—NBA fans, already eager and wired for Sunday night's contest, were quick to react.

Take a peek at that below:

Houston is cooking https://t.co/ofHyzjh250

— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) June 22, 2025

Great move for Houston. Number 2 seed adds KD??

Yeah they’re gonna be good.

— Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) June 22, 2025

Rockets gonna be for real, for real.

— Jay King (@ByJayKing) June 22, 2025

I just fell to my knees at the Panthers parade

— Brady Hawk (@BradyHawk305) June 22, 2025

WOAH https://t.co/QTR2Q8BqaV

— Nathan Marzion (@nathanmarzion) June 22, 2025

WOW https://t.co/QjsG47CkpS

— Chandler Parsons (@ChandlerParsons) June 22, 2025

LFG!!!!!!!!!!! 🔥🔥🔥 https://t.co/tDtFwiHMuy

— Adam Clanton (@adamclanton) June 22, 2025

In addition to their shock over the pure magnitude of the deal, other fans were surprised this was announced on the day of Game 7:

1) I mean, you knew this was going to happen the day of Game 7, right? At least it wasn't right before tip. 2) Houston is going to be a serious, serious problem. https://t.co/jkrDin4DTC

— Dustin Dopirak (@DustinDopirak) June 22, 2025

absolutely demonic doing this the day of a Finals Game 7, shoutout to both of these teams https://t.co/X4KQqniNSR

— Megan Schuster (@megschuster) June 22, 2025

adam silver should be tried for war crimes for allowing this trade to happen hours before game 7 of the nba finals https://t.co/6VUYkGJ15H

— Josh Bowe (@Boweman55) June 22, 2025

if i ran this league i would outlaw announcing trades on the day of a finals game 7 https://t.co/FmVoOCY3WF

— Vinson Cunningham (@vcunningham) June 22, 2025

Why would the NBA allow this trade to be made and publicized before the season's biggest game?

— Bonta Hill (@BontaHill) June 22, 2025

It's going to be a fun 2025-26 in Houston, who will look to make a deeper postseason run next year with some veteran assistance on their side.

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