With the Houston Rockets now trailing 3-1 against the Los Angeles Lakers, the pressure is obvious. But more than the deficit, the real noise has come from the constant uncertainty around Kevin Durant’s availability. He missed Game 1 with a knee contusion, returned in Game 2, and then sat out Games 3 and 4 with a sprained ankle. When he was not seen on the bench during Game 3, speculation quickly spiraled into a far bigger claim that the 37-year-old had checked out on his team.

That narrative did not sit well with former teammate Draymond Green. Speaking on his podcast, Green shut it down immediately. “A lot of people have made a lot of discourse about, ‘Oh, KD don’t really want to play. He’s quitting on his teammates.’ One thing you don’t question: Kevin Durant loves to play basketball. If there’s anything that Kevin Durant loves, he loves to play basketball. To question a guy who’s injured and has shown nothing but love for the game is bullsh**.”

He added, “Regardless of what you think about the burner accounts, Rockets chemistry, for a guy who played 18 years and the love of the game KD has, and people say he quit? I think it’s ridiculous. The respect around our game is at an all-time low.”

Kevin Durant once shared a dominant three-year run with Draymond Green at the Golden State Warriors, winning two NBA Finals and earning two Finals MVPs along the way. But the partnership was far from smooth. Green was there when Durant suffered his devastating Achilles tear in the 2019 Finals, a moment that reshaped how the league viewed his long-term durability.

Meanwhile, tension had already been brewing. Back in November 2018, things boiled over during a fiery clash where Green hurled insults and even challenged Durant to walk away in free agency. Soon after, Durant did exactly that, heading to the Brooklyn Nets. Since leaving Golden State, the same championship rhythm hasn’t followed Durant, though his individual brilliance remains undeniable.

Even so, time has cooled tempers. The friction between Durant and Green has faded, replaced by mutual respect. That’s precisely why Green rejects any narrative questioning Durant’s commitment. Playing 78 games in an 18th season speaks loudly. For Green, that effort tells a clear story—Durant is still all in.

Still, the reality around the situation feels far more complicated. And it is not about Durant’s performance. He has been elite this season, playing over 70 games, logging more than 2,800 minutes, and averaging 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. For a player in his 18th season, those numbers only make the current narrative more confusing.

The situation around him has clearly grown tense. Reports suggest even teammates have been unsure about the details of his rehab as he deals with the ankle injury, one that typically carries a multi-week recovery window. At the same time, conversations around a potential split between Durant and the Rockets have started gaining traction across the league.

Will the Houston Rockets move on from Kevin Durant?

Durant’s absence has directly shaped the series. He missed Game 1 with a knee issue, returned with 23 points in Game 2, and then sat out Games 3 and 4 after spraining his left ankle. The situation reached its peak during Game 3, when his absence from the bench during an overtime loss raised fresh questions and fueled the growing speculation.

While the Slim Reaper’s injury is evident, some fans are beginning to question whether he has checked out on the Rockets. Meanwhile, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons said, “I still don’t understand why KD wasn’t with his team for Game 3. He’s won 2 playoff series since 2019, and his team was down 0-2 in a must-win game… he’s just MIA? What’s the actual story here?”

Meanwhile, The Ringer’s Michael Pina suggests that the Rockets could potentially use Kevin Durant as a “stepping stone” and trade him this summer. “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.”

The insider added, “But despite that, the Heat, Timberwolves, Blazers, Mavericks, Pistons, Knicks, Raptors, Hawks, Magic, Lakers, Nuggets, Hornets, Bulls, Wizards, Warriors, Pacers, Jazz, Sixers, Celtics, Cavaliers, Bucks, and Clippers would all have varying degrees of interest—pending how the rest of these playoffs go.”

Michael Pina further turned heads by spotlighting the final three names as the real game-changers. If the Houston Rockets choose a bold pivot while keeping Kevin Durant, bigger stars could enter the frame—Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, or Donovan Mitchell. However, matching Durant’s original trade value feels unlikely. Therefore, Pina sees Houston aiming higher, with Leonard emerging as the most fascinating, high-risk swing.

For now, the noise around Kevin Durant continues to grow, but Draymond Green has made his stance clear. He is pushing back against the narrative and defending Durant’s commitment to the game. At the same time, the Rockets are left dealing with injuries, uncertainty, and real questions about their future with him.