Suns lookahead. Phoenix faces Kevin Durant for first time since blockbuster trade

The Phoenix Suns fans are fully aware when Kevin Durant will be back in town, but it’s always good to make sure everyone knows, right?

During timeouts against the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks earlier this month at Mortgage Matchup Center, the Suns PA announcer kept promoting the team’s three-game homestand that ends Monday, Nov. 24 against the Houston Rockets.

The promotion always ended with the announcer saying, “the return of Kevin Durant.”

This will be Durant’s first game in Phoenix since last summer’s trade.

The Suns acquired Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the 10th overall pick in the 2025 draft, 7-footer Khaman Maluach, for Durant before the 2025 draft.

The first Suns-Rockets matchup of the 2025-26 season will be the second of a home back-to-back for Phoenix. The Suns play the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, Nov. 23.

Phoenix beat San Antonio, 130-118, Nov. 2 at Mortgage Matchup Center in its first matchup against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs.

The Suns then have a two-game road trip sandwiching the Thanksgiving holiday. They play Nov. 26 against the Sacramento Kings and face the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Nov. 28 in NBA Cup West Group A play games.

Phoenix then faces the Denver Nuggets in the second of a back-to-back Nov. 29 at Mortgage Matchup Center. The Suns dropped their first matchup this season against the Nuggets, 133-111, last month in Denver.

These are all key games for the Suns, but the matchup against Houston is the most anticipated of them all, considering what Phoenix gave up to get Durant, his time there and how it all ended.

Phoenix landed Durant in a blockbuster deal before the 2023 trade deadline. The Suns traded Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and four first-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for TJ Warren and Durant.

This was Mat Ishbia’s first major move as team owner. He just had his initial introductory press conference before the Suns landed Durant on Feb. 9, 2023.

Phoenix reached the 2023 conference semifinals before losing to the eventual NBA champion Denver Nuggets. The Suns then dealt Chris Paul to land Bradley Beal in the summer of 2023, giving them a Big 3 of Devin Booker, Durant, and Beal.

The two major moves didn’t result in an NBA championship.

The Minnesota Timberwolves swept Phoenix in the first round of the 2024 playoffs. The Suns were even worse the following season. They won just 36 games, failed to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-20 season, which was the last time they had a losing record.

The team had been looking to deal Durant before the 2025 midseason trade deadline, but it didn’t happen until after the 2024-2025 season was over.

So yeah, Suns fans have had Nov. 24 circled on the schedule since their team parted ways with Durant.

Should be a wild one in Phoenix.

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Suns face Kevin Durant for first time since blockbuster trade

Suns lookahead. Phoenix faces Kevin Durant for first time since blockbuster trade

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