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There might be no love lost between the Phoenix Suns and Kevin Durant. After all, the Suns made a bombshell Durant trade to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green.
During the trade deadline, Phoenix put him in a potential trade without Durant knowing. From that moment on, a trade felt imminent, and now on Sunday, that thought finally came to fruition.
In an interview with Kay Adams at a Fanatics Fan Fest, she asked Durant if he wanted to give a final message to Phoenix. He kept it rather simple.
“I mean, they wanted me to go… they got what they wanted, and I got what I wanted, so we can move on,” Durant said. “And good luck to them going forward. I always remember my time there, but we're on to something else.”
The multiple-time All-Star had an interesting relationship with the fanbase. Some praised his abilities, but others were not afraid to hurl criticism his way.
Still, it felt like he never got a fair chance. Injuries, and a failed experiment of the Suns' Big 3 made matters worse. However, Durant's production on the hardwood spoke for itself.
Now, he's in Houston, where they might've acquired that final piece they need.
The Suns and Rockets will be different with/without Kevin Durant
For the Rockets, it's an immediate upgrade. After winning 50 games and securing the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, they fell in the first round to the Golden State Warriors.
A main cause for the series elimination was because of the lack of experience. Durant has as much of that as it gets. He's a two-time champion, two-time Finals MVP and is still one of the top players in the league.
Although Houston lost guys like Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks, bringing in Durant offsets that, and it gives the team that de-facto scorer to lean on.
On the flip side, this puts Phoenix in an interesting spot. As a result of the trade, the Suns could pursue other trades involving more of their veterans.
Phrases of a possible “re-tool” have circulated the franchise. Now that Durant is out of the picture, that thought is only amplified.
Devin Booker is the face of the franchise, is only 28 years old. There's plenty of time left in his career to get back to those winning ways.
Either way, it's a new era for both teams, and for the Slim Reaper. As he makes his territory in H-Town, he might hope the fans are more supportive and appreciative of his greatness.
