The Houston Rockets are scheduled to face the Phoenix Suns for the first time in the 2025-26 NBA season on Monday. Unfortunately for the Rockets, Kevin Durant is listed as out due to a family matter. The contest against the Suns is the first time Durant will face his former team. Over the summer, Phoenix traded him to Houston for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming, Koby Brea, Daeqwon Plowden and two future second-round picks.
Shams Charania of ESPN reported Durant’s upcoming absence on Sunday. According to Charania, KD will also miss the Rockets’ game against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday. So far this season, Durant has played in all of Houston’s first 14 games.
Monday’s game will be the first missed game for the 15-time All-Star.
“Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant will miss Monday’s game in Phoenix and Wednesday’s contest in Golden State tending to a family matter, sources tell ESPN,” Charania reported via X.
Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant will miss Monday's game in Phoenix and Wednesday's contest in Golden State tending to a family matter, sources tell ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 23, 2025
So far this season, Durant has been important to the Rockets. He’s averaging 24.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists.
Without Durant, the Suns have been one of the biggest surprises early in the year. They are 10-6 in the Western Conference and have gone 8-2 in their last 10 games. The team only has Devin Booker as their lone star. However, Brooks has stepped up his game in his first year playing for Phoenix. Through 10 games played, the defensive forward has averaged a career-high 21 points.
Aside from Durant, the Suns have also moved on from veteran star Bradley Beal. The organization and Beal agreed to a contract buyout during free agency.
Kevin Durant believes that Steph Curry should’ve always been with Nike
One of the biggest stories this season is Steph Curry parting ways with Under Armour. On Nov. 13, it became official that Curry became a free agent in the sneaker world following the end of his 13-year run with the sports brand to focus on the Curry Brand. Because the move was unexpected, fans were taken aback.
Following the report, his former teammate, Kevin Durant, commented on the situation in his Friday appearance on the “Up & Adams” show. The two-time champion loved the idea of having Curry back with Nike.
“That would be incredible. I hope that happens,” he said. “Yeah. No disrespect to Under Armour, [but] he should have always been a Nike athlete.”
“But he built his brand, and this is an exciting time for him to be able to choose and to have people out there that want to still want your services at 37. You can just tell his legacy and his brand is intact, you know. He’s a free agent, and it feels like he’s still a rookie, you know what I’m saying?”
Curry started as an athlete for Nike. But contract negotiations fell apart in 2013, which opened the door for Under Armour.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
