Kevin Durant Will Wear No. 7 Rockets Jersey After Historic NBA Trade from Suns

A change in teams, a change in numbers.

The Houston Rockets announced Monday that Kevin Durant will be rocking the No. 7 next season after wearing the No. 35 during his time with the Phoenix Suns.

Durant has worn the No. 35 at every stop in his career except with the Brooklyn Nets (No. 7) and now the Rockets.

The change to the No. 7 is fitting, given that Durant landed on the Rockets as part of a seven-team trade, the most teams ever involved in a single deal in NBA history. The Durant portion of that massive transaction saw the Phoenix Suns receive Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the 10th overall pick (which became Duke center Khaman Maluach) and five second-round picks.

Durant, 36, spent parts of three seasons in Phoenix, averaging 26.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.2 blocks per game in that time. The Suns didn't get past the second round of the playoffs during his tenure, a disappointing showing from a team built around the star trio of Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

The Rockets, meanwhile, took a major leap in the 2024-25 season, going 52-30 and finishing as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. But they lost in seven games against the Golden State Warriors during the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, and the team's need for a true No. 1 scoring threat became readily apparent.

Durant should scratch that itch, and the Rockets didn't have to break the bank to land him (the inconsistent Green still has an intriguing ceiling, but players like Alperen Şengün and Amen Thompson are better long-term building blocks). All in all, a good move for the Rockets, who will be hoping No. 7 leads them to a title.