Kevin Durant Won't Face Suns, Fans in Return With Rockets

PHOENIX -- Kevin Durant will not play in the highly anticipated Phoenix Suns vs Houston Rockets matchup on Monday, according to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania.

Durant will miss that matchup and Wednesday's contest at Golden State - two separate homecomings for the future NBA Hall of Fame player.

"Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant will miss Monday's game in Phoenix and Wednesday's contest in Golden State tending to a family matter, sources tell ESPN," Charania said on X.

Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant will miss Monday's game in Phoenix and Wednesday's contest in Golden State tending to a family matter, sources tell ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 23, 2025

The Suns will play Houston next on Dec. 5 and Jan. 5 - though those are both on the road. Durant's next and only regular season opportunity now to play in Phoenix will be late in the season on April 7.

Durant was traded this past offseason to Houston in the notable trade that saw Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green land in Phoenix alongside the No. 10 overall pick - which was used to draft Khaman Maluach.

Durant spent 2.5 seasons in Phoenix after being acquired in a blockbuster trade from the Brooklyn Nets back in the 2022-23 season.

Durant immediately made the Suns championship favorites, though Phoenix never capitalized on their talent of Durant alongside names such as Devin Booker and eventually Bradley Beal.

He was nearly traded at last year's trade deadline, as the Suns reportedly had framework in place to send him to the Golden State Warriors before Durant himself declined the deal.

After he was eventually (and inevitably) traded, Durant said Suns fans ultimately wanted him out of town.

"They wanted me to go. They got what they wanted and I got what I wanted so we can move on. Good luck to them moving forward - I'll always remember my time there but we're on to something else."

Suns owner Mat Ishbia said:

"We're really excited about the players we got. Kevin Durant's a great player. There's nobody that could ever question that. (He) just wasn't a fit for what we're doing going forward. Obviously, he's had an amazing career, but he's not a fit for what we're going to do moving forward.

"... We got five players, and we love what we got for it. We're looking forward, not looking back. Obviously, it didn't work with Kevin, we wish him the best, but for us going forward, we love the guys we got, we love what we're building, and it takes time. It's not going to happen overnight, but we feel great about what we got here in Phoenix going forward."