Houston Rockets All-Star Kevin Durant will miss Monday’s game against the Phoenix Suns and Wednesday’s contest against the Golden State Warriors due to a family matter, per ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania.
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Durant formerly played for both the Suns and Warriors, but will not face either team this week. It was widely known Durant did not want to continue his tenure in Phoenix, and he was traded to the Rockets on the final day of the NBA season.
In exchange for Durant, the Suns received Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, three selections in the 2025 NBA Draft (No. 10 pick Khaman Maluach, No. 31 pick Rasheer Fleming, No. 41 pick Koby Brea), and a 2026 second-round pick.
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“It all happened pretty fast. I wasn’t expecting to leave Phoenix that quickly, but that’s just the nature of the game,” Durant said. “So I quickly just thought about who I was comfortable with, which coaching staff would just let me be me and understand what I bring to the table.
“(Houston coach Ime Udoka) has always been one of those guys that understood what I brought to the table, my mentality and my approach to the game. He always respected that and gave me my space to be me. That was one of the first things I thought about.”
Durant spent less than three seasons in the Valley of the Sun as he was traded from the Brooklyn Nets to Phoenix in February 2023 and made his departure in July 2025.
Durant spent three seasons with the Warriors, winning two NBA championships with the organization in 2016-17 and 2017-18. He chose to depart from Golden State and join the Nets in 2019 as a free agent, in the hopes of finding a fresh start with a new franchise.
While Durant is in his age-37 season, the forward remains a star in the association. The Rockets are currently 10-4 to open the 2025-26 season, currently ranking as the fifth seed in a competitive Western Conference.
Durant’s absence from Monday’s game will mark the first matchup he’s missed this season with the Rockets.
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