HOUSTON — The Kevin Durant experiment in Houston was supposed to end with a parade. Instead, it’s ending with a whimper, a play-in exit, and a front office that’s ready to burn it all down.
According to The Ringer’s Michael Pina, the Rockets — on the verge of being eliminated from the 2026 playoffs — have made it clear to rival teams that “nothing is off the table” this offseason. Translation: Kevin Durant, the 16-time All-Star who was supposed to be Houston’s missing piece, could be used as a “stepping stone” to begin a total roster reset.
“The Rockets thought that KD was their missing piece, and instead, there’s a chance they’ll turn him into a stepping stone this summer,” Pina wrote. “It turns out that your best player shouldn’t also be a mercenary.”
That’s a brutal assessment. But it’s also an honest one. The Durant-to-Houston experiment lasted just one season. He was hurt for much of it. The team never clicked. And now, with Durant still owed $90 million over the next two years, the Rockets are reportedly ready to move on.
Enter the Golden State Warriors.
Yes, those Warriors. The same Warriors that Durant left in free agency in 2019. The same Warriors that he reportedly vetoed a trade to in February 2025. The same Warriors that have been linked to every available superstar — Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James — and now, once again, Kevin Durant.
According to Pina, an astonishing 22 teams would have “varying degrees of interest” in Durant if the Rockets make him available. The Warriors are on that list.
So let’s break down what went wrong in Houston, why the Warriors might be willing to forgive and forget, and whether a reunion between Durant and the Bay Area dynasty actually makes sense in the summer of 2026.
Part 1: The Houston Disaster — What Went Wrong?
Let’s start with the Rockets, because their failed experiment offers a cautionary tale for every franchise thinking about trading for a superstar on the wrong side of 30.
The Rockets acquired Kevin Durant in the summer of 2025. They gave up significant assets. They cleared cap space. They built a roster around him. And what did they get in return?
A sprained ankle. A bone bruise. Missed games. A play-in loss. And a first-round playoff exit that wasn’t really a first-round playoff exit because they didn’t even make the playoffs — they lost in the play-in tournament to the Phoenix Suns.
Durant played in only two of the four games against the Lakers in the first round. He was effective when he played, but his body betrayed him at the worst possible moment. And without him, the Rockets were exposed.
Pina’s “mercenary” line cuts deep because it’s true. Durant has won championships in Golden State. He’s been a Finals MVP. He’s one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. But he’s also a hired gun. He’s not a franchise-builder. He’s a finisher — a player you add to an already great team to push them over the top.
The Rockets were not an already great team. They were a young, promising team that thought Durant would be the shortcut to contention. Instead, they learned a painful lesson: you can’t skip steps. Chemistry matters. Health matters. Fit matters.
And now, with two years and $90 million left on his contract, the Rockets are reportedly ready to admit their mistake and move on.
Part 2: The 22-Team List — Everyone Wants KD (Sort Of)
Pina’s report included a staggering list of teams that would have “varying degrees of interest” in Durant:
The Heat, Timberwolves, Blazers, Mavericks, Pistons, Knicks, Raptors, Hawks, Magic, Lakers, Nuggets, Hornets, Bulls, Wizards, Warriors, Pacers, Jazz, Sixers, Celtics, Cavaliers, Bucks, and Clippers.
That’s 22 teams. That’s more than two-thirds of the league.
But “varying degrees of interest” is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. Some of those teams would be serious suitors. Others would make a courtesy call. Some would offer real assets. Others would kick the tires.
The key takeaway is that Durant — despite the injuries, despite the failed Houston experiment, despite turning 38 in September — remains a coveted commodity. When healthy, he’s still a top-10 player. When locked in, he’s still capable of carrying a team through a playoff series.
The question for each of those 22 teams is the same: How much are we willing to give up for a 38-year-old superstar with a $90 million price tag and a concerning injury history?
Part 3: The Warriors’ Complicated History with KD — The Breakup, The Veto, The What-Ifs
Now let’s talk about Golden State, because the Warriors’ relationship with Durant is anything but simple.
Durant joined the Warriors in 2016. It was the most controversial free agency move in NBA history. He won two championships. He won two Finals MVPs. And then, after a falling out with Draymond Green — the infamous “You don’t get to leave, we won without you” argument — he left for Brooklyn.
Fast forward to 2025. The Suns were shopping Durant at the trade deadline. The Warriors reportedly explored a reunion. But Durant vetoed the trade. He didn’t want to come back.
“It didn’t make sense to me,” Durant told “The Draymond Green Show” last year.
He also pushed back on the idea that he didn’t want to play with Green again:
“You don’t want to play with Draymond no more. You don’t want to go back (to Golden State),” Durant said, mimicking his detractors. “I’m like, ‘Yeah that s— is annoying, and I don’t like it, but I can play under anything.'”
That’s Durant being Durant. He insists that the Draymond feud isn’t the reason he’s stayed away. He says he can “play under anything.” But actions speak louder than words. When he had the chance to return in 2025, he said no.
Now, a year later, the calculus might have changed. The Warriors have Jimmy Butler now. They have a different roster. They have a different vibe. And Durant, after a miserable season in Houston, might be more open to a return.
Part 4: The Warriors’ Summer Shopping List — Giannis, Kawhi, LeBron, and Now KD Again
Here’s where this gets even more interesting.
According to insider Zach Lowe, the Warriors are expected to be aggressive this summer. Their shopping list reads like an NBA All-Star Game roster:
“I expect them again to go all-in for Giannis [Antetokounmpo]. If that fails, I expect them again to call on Kawhi Leonard. If that fails, or maybe if it doesn’t, I expect them to try to get LeBron James.”
The Warriors pursued both Antetokounmpo and Leonard at the 2026 trade deadline. Neither deal materialized. But the pursuit itself tells you everything you need to know about Golden State’s mindset: Stephen Curry is 38 years old. The championship window is closing. The Warriors are desperate to add one more superstar for one more run.
Durant wasn’t on that list. But he is now.
If the Warriors can’t land Giannis. If Kawhi stays in LA. If LeBron stays in LA (or retires). Then Durant becomes the most logical — and perhaps the most available — superstar on the market.
It would be ironic. It would be messy. It would require both sides to swallow their pride. But it might also be the Warriors’ best chance to win another title before Curry rides off into the sunset.
Part 5: The Fit — Would KD and Curry Make Sense in 2026?
Let’s ignore the history for a moment. Let’s ignore the drama. Let’s just talk basketball.
Stephen Curry is still Stephen Curry. Even at 38, he’s a top-10 player. He spaces the floor like no one else. He makes everyone around him better.
Kevin Durant is still Kevin Durant. Even at 37 (turning 38 in September), he’s a top-10 player when healthy. He’s a 7-foot assassin who can score from anywhere, defend multiple positions, and take over a game in isolation.
Together, they’ve already won two championships. They know how to play with each other. Their games complement each other perfectly. Curry draws double teams on the perimeter; Durant feasts in the space created. Durant commands defensive attention in the post; Curry gets open looks on the weak side.
The question isn’t whether they can play together. They’ve already proven that. The question is whether Durant’s body can hold up for another deep playoff run.
The Warriors have managed Curry’s minutes carefully. They could do the same with Durant. They could rest him during the regular season, save him for the playoffs, and hope that a reduced workload keeps him healthy for April, May, and June.
It’s a gamble. But the Warriors are in the gambling business now.
Part 6: The Other Suitors — Who Else Could Land KD?
The Warriors aren’t the only team that will be calling Houston this summer.
The Miami Heat have been linked to Durant for years. They have the culture, the coach, and the market to attract a superstar. They also have trade assets.
The Los Angeles Lakers will always be in the mix for any superstar. LeBron James and Durant on the same team? That would break the internet. It would also break the salary cap, but that’s a problem for another day.
The New York Knicks have cap space, young players, and a desperate hunger for relevance. They’ve been waiting for a superstar since — well, since forever.
The Dallas Mavericks have Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Adding Durant would give them a big three that could rival any in the league.
And then there are dark horses like the Memphis Grizzlies, the New Orleans Pelicans, and the Sacramento Kings — young teams that could use Durant as a veteran leader and playoff closer.
But none of those teams have what the Warriors have: a proven championship formula with Durant already baked into the system. None of those teams have Stephen Curry. And none of those teams have the history that Golden State has with No. 35.
Part 7: The Verdict — Should the Warriors Do It?
This is the million-dollar question. Actually, it’s the $90-million question.
Should the Warriors trade significant assets for a 37-year-old Kevin Durant who just missed most of his team’s playoff games with an ankle injury?
The answer depends on what “significant assets” means.
If the Rockets want Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, and multiple first-round picks? That’s probably too much for a player at Durant’s age.
But if the price is lower — if the Rockets are desperate to move him and the Warriors can get him for a package centered around expiring contracts and a single first-round pick? That’s a different conversation.
The Warriors are in win-now mode. Stephen Curry doesn’t have many years left. Draymond Green is 36. Klay Thompson is gone. The dynasty is fading.
Adding Durant would be a Hail Mary. It would be a gamble. It would be a move born of desperation as much as hope.
But it would also give the Warriors one of the most talented starting lineups in the league: Curry, Butler, Durant, Green, and whoever they can afford at center. That’s a lineup that could beat anyone in a seven-game series.
The Warriors have always bet on stars. They bet on Curry when he was injury-prone. They bet on Durant when he was a mercenary. They bet on Thompson when he was coming off two catastrophic leg injuries.
Sometimes those bets paid off. Sometimes they didn’t. But the Warriors have never been afraid to swing for the fences.
If Kevin Durant becomes available this summer, expect them to pick up the bat.
The Kevin Durant experiment in Houston failed. It failed because Durant couldn’t stay healthy. It failed because the Rockets weren’t ready. It failed because you can’t build a contender around a mercenary.
But that doesn’t mean Durant is washed. It doesn’t mean he can’t help a team win. It just means he needs the right situation — a team with an established culture, a proven system, and players who can carry the load during the regular season so he can save himself for the playoffs.
That sounds an awful lot like the Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors have been linked to every superstar on the market. They’ve swung and missed on Giannis. They’ve struck out on Kawhi. They’ve been unable to land LeBron.
Kevin Durant might be the last great superstar available. And for the Warriors, he might be the only one who makes sense.
Yes, there’s history. Yes, there’s drama. Yes, there’s a $90 million price tag and a concerning injury history.
But there’s also two championships, two Finals MVPs, and a partnership with Stephen Curry that produced some of the most beautiful basketball ever played.
The Warriors are running out of time. Stephen Curry is running out of years. And if they want to make one more run at a title before the curtain falls, they could do a lot worse than bringing back the best scorer they ever had.
The question isn’t whether the Warriors will call. They will.
The question is whether Durant will finally say yes.