Kevin Durant, currently a player for the Houston Rockets, confirmed that he was the one who stopped an attempted trade that would have taken him back to the Golden State Warriors at the last NBA trade deadline.

The revelation occurred on September 16 in Los Angeles, during his participation at the Game Plan Sports Business Summit, where I have shared details about his contract situation and his feelings regarding the rumors.

Durant explained that, along with his business partner Rich Kleiman, he managed to stop the negotiations that linked the Warriors with an unexpected return for the forward. The player himself acknowledged that those personal connections and his history with Golden State were decisive in avoiding the move.

“I heard that Golden State was on the table around the trade deadline, but that's when Rich came into play, and those relationships that we built in the league and also having played in Golden State helped. We were able to tell them to hold off on that for a little bit,” Durant said, according to statements collected by the Arizona Republic.

Durant's reactions to the rumors about Phoenix

Beyond the speculation about the Warriors, Durant also addressed the reports that placed him out of the Phoenix Suns during the 2024-25 season. The player said the situation bothered him, as he felt he had built a strong relationship with the organization.

“At first, I was a little upset because I felt like we had built a solid relationship, me and the Phoenix Suns,” the forward said. "Hearing that from a different perspective was a little disappointing, but that's the way the game is. I got over it quickly and started thinking about what the next steps were."

Durant remained in Phoenix until the end of the season, although his departure ultimately became finalized in the summer, when he was sent to the Rockets in a high-profile trade.