When Kevin Durant joined the Phoenix Suns in 2023, there were high championship hopes for the franchise. However, the core of multi-time All-Stars Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal won only one playoff series together.
After nearly three years of postseason struggles, Durant’s stint with the Suns ended during the summer of 2025. He was traded to the Houston Rockets in a seven-team trade, the largest in NBA history.
In a recent conversation with Hakeem Olajuwon via Boardroom, Durant explained what went wrong during his stint with the Suns.
“I don’t want to undercut what we did during my time in Phoenix because I feel like I had some great moments on the court there, too. But I feel like we were an older group that was kind of stuck in our ways as veterans, and veterans kind of do their own thing a lot. When you’re with a younger group, it’s more tight-knit. They’re all learning together. It has more of a college feel, and I think that’s the difference.”
Team Chemistry
Durant’s description of a college feel may connect to his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder, teaming up with fellow future MVPs Russell Westbrook and James Harden. All three players were younger than 24 years old when they led Oklahoma City to an NBA Finals appearance.
Durant became a two-time NBA champion after joining the Golden State Warriors, though the franchise seems like an outlier due to its historic dominance throughout the 2010s. Durant controversially joined the Warriors following the team’s record-breaking 73-9 season.
The one-time MVP was 34 years old when he joined the Suns, about 15 years into his professional career. His teammates were then 30-year-old Beal and 26-year-old Booker, both established veterans in the league.
While Durant averaged upwards of 26 points, five rebounds, and four assists per game during his time in Phoenix, he was one of the oldest players on the roster. This may have contributed to a disconnect within the team’s culture.
As a member of the Rockets, the 16-time All-Star has found himself in a similar situation. The difference is that Durant is a key veteran playing alongside a young core of Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, and Jabari Smith Jr.
Houston currently holds the fourth spot in the Western Conference standings, giving Durant ample opportunity to pursue another NBA championship.
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