Kevin Durant will soon start a new chapter in his NBA career after a terrible stint with the Phoenix Suns.
Around the time of last season’s trade deadline, there was talk about the Suns looking to move Durant.
Although he finished out the year in Phoenix, Durant was sent to Houston during the offseason. Durant has since spoken about how he pushed for that move to happen.
How Kevin Durant controlled his move from Phoenix to Houston
On the second season of Netflix’s ‘Starting 5’, Durant opened up about how he used his contract situation to influence where he ended up.
He talked through how he quickly stopped the Suns from sending him anywhere other than Houston.
“Once the Suns decided they wanted to trade me, they asked me what teams I’d be willing to go to, and I gave them a few. That was an expiring contract.
“I had more leverage, and I was able to use it and get to Houston,” Durant said (h/t Duane Rankin).
The two-time NBA champion also spoke about his hopes for how things could play out with the Rockets.
“In the perfect world, we win a couple of championships. I get my jersey retired here,” he added.
Durant has said that retirement isn’t on his mind yet. But turning that into reality won’t be easy in a league that’s always changing. There are some huge obstacles standing in their way – what needs to happen for that vision of success to become more than just talk?
Kevin Durant believes offense is key to winning championships
The Rockets have put together a strong lineup, with Durant joining Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson.
Thompson stands out for his defensive ability, while Durant and Sengun provide the scoring punch. With that balance in mind, Durant made it clear he believes offense is what separates title teams.
“You have to score baskets if you want to win a championship. Playing defense, we can get any of y’all in here to bend your legs, not touch the basketball, slide left and right, and contest the shot. That’s easy.
READ MORE: NBA scouts compare Darryn Peterson to Kobe Bryant ahead of 2026 Draft
“But when we’re talking about winning at a high level against the best of the best, you can’t just do that and win a basketball game,” Durant stated (h/t Omer Osman).
Given his track record as one of the game’s top scorers, it’s no surprise where Durant stands on this debate. Some will agree with him, while others will argue defense still wins games at every level.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
