Kevin Durant talks about future retirement plans and trade rumours

The 35-year-old Kevin Durant, who is in his 16th NBA season, attributes his longevity to his effective scoring, having made at least 50% of his mid-range shots beyond 15 feet in five straight seasons. Durant, regarded as one of the NBA's most effective volume scorers, has avoided dangerous players to stay healthy and has participated in the most games this season since 2018. Rumors are circulating that Durant will soon have a fifth NBA team as he approaches his fourth Olympics.

Durant addressed the rumors about his retirement plans and potential team chemistry in an interview with Yahoo Sports following Team USA's first practice on Saturday. He said, "It appears that hitting the 'KD wants to go' button is an easy method to draw attention. What else could generate a commotion at this time than folks wondering, 'Oh, the journeyman is departing again.' That tale will always be captivating."

These rumors first surfaced on draft night, implying that Durant, who had spent just over a full season with the Phoenix Suns, was on numerous NBA team's want lists. With the Suns having three max-salary players and new luxury tax rules penalizing big spenders, rumors circulated that the Suns could be prepared to trade Durant for future draft capital.

Kevin Durant career performances

Since sustaining an Achilles injury in Game 5 of the 2018–19 NBA Finals, Durant has enjoyed his most fruitful season in seventy-five games. He averaged 27 points, almost seven rebounds, and five assists while falling just shy of a 50-40-90 season with an 86% free-throw shooting percentage.

In 2021, he became the highest-ranking player in US Olympic basketball history, succeeding Carmelo Anthony. Durant also owns the national record for the most career points per game, averaging 19.8.

Durant's partnership with Steve Kerr and Stephen Curry is about to continue, and he expects the transition to be simple as they shape up to be the most skilled Olympic squad since the famed 1992 Dream squad. If not, they are unquestionably the most skilled since the 2008 Redeem Team, which formed following Durant's first season in Seattle.

However, Durant's career duration and consistency are not typically emphasized in talks. Actions like leaving Oklahoma City to sign with the Golden State Warriors as a free agency, one of the most scrutinized moves in sports history, add to this. His choice to leave the Bay Area to compete in Brooklyn was, at best, underwhelming, diverting attention away from his resilience.