Houston Rockets All-Star Kevin Durant looked back on the LeBron James and Dwyane Wade era with the Miami Heat and how NBA players reacted to James Harden's trade to the Rockets in 2012. Two months removed from beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 4-1 in 2012 NBA Finals, James and Wade's congratulatory tweets for Harden irked Durant. Kevin thought the Heat were relieved.
The young and upcoming Thunder lost its sixth man as the team that was led by three future Hall of Fame talents never reached its full potential as a team before Durant left for the Golden State Warriors in 2016. Durant looked back on the time in his career in Netflix's Starting 5, per Courtside Buzz's Instagram.
“What pissed me off is Bron & D-Wade & so many dudes around the NBA sending tweets out: ‘Congrats to my bro James. He goin’ to Houston. He gonna kill there.’ I know Bron & them was so f****** happy we wasn’t together no more,” Durant said. “We were on they a**… y’all just scared. Y’all know we was on the way.”
As the NBA watched Harden, Durant, and Westbrook reach their potential as individuals, many wonder what could have happened had all three stayed together in Oklahoma City. Durant won the MVP award with the Thunder in 2014. Westbrook did the same in 2017, which was followed by Harden earning his MVP award in 2018.
While Harden and Westbrook have never reached the NBA Finals, Durant won back-to-back titles during his years with the Warriors. All three reside in the Western Conference as Durant is gearing up for his first season with the Rockets. Harden is back with the Los Angeles Clippers, and Westbrook just agreed to a one-year deal with the Sacramento Kings.
Kevin Durant on Rockets facing the Thunder on Opening Night
Rockets All-Star Kevin Durant knows why he's facing the Thunder on Opening Night at the Paycom Center. It was a fitting opponent in Durant, who left the Thunder to win championships with the Warriors. He joins a Rockets team projected to challenge the champion in the Western Conference.
Durant talked about the upcoming game and ring ceremony that will take place beforehand, he said, per FanDuel TV's Up And Adams Show with Kay Adams.
“I don’t know whether to think that’s cool or not, but it is what it is. I know what it is. It should be a fun night, though,” Durant said. “OKC getting their rings. I’m in the building; hopefully, they'll pan over to see my reaction — that’s really what it's about. Them getting their rings is the most important thing, though.”
The Thunder will host the Rockets on Tuesday.
