Kevin Durant Trade to Houston Rockets Spikes Card Sales
Renewed excitement has hit H-Town with the announcement of Kevin Durant being traded to the Rockets. That energy has spilled over into the card collecting world with Durant cards selling left and right.
Houston was one of the best teams in the Western Conference during the 2024-25 season capturing the Southwest Division (52-30). The Rockets pushed Golden State in the opening round to seven games seemingly just missing that piece to get over the proverbial hump.
Answer to come in 2026… can Durant bring a championship back to Space City?
The hype on acquiring Durant is warranted backed by his outstanding play over 16 years in the NBA. Selected as a league MVP in 2014, Durant helped bring two titles to the Golden State Warriors (2017-18) earning Finals MVP in back-to-back seasons.
Since leaving the Warriors, Durant has continued his tear on the court carrying a career 27.2 points per game scoring average. But success in the postseason has been harder to come by for the future Hall of Famer.
Frustration with the Brooklyn Nets after a first-round loss to the Raptors, semifinals defeat at the hands of the Bucks, and another first round exit, this time by the Celtics, led to a trade request moving Durant to Phoenix.
Following a “big three” format for championship success, Phoenix paired Durant with Bradley Beal and Devin Booker. The Suns made it to the Western Conference Semifinals in 2023 losing to the Nuggets (4-2) and then swept in ’24 by the Timberwolves. Disappointment in the 2024-25 effort (36-46), led to another Durant trade request.
The Rockets and Miami Heat were the two ESPN-reported finalists for Durant’s services. To acquire Durant, Houston traded Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks, the Rocket’s 10th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and five future second-round draft picks.
Green was a scoring machine for the Rockets since joining the league in 2021-22, averaging 20.1 points per game. Although still young with more upside to his game, Green’s performance in the ’25 playoffs, averaging 13.3 points per game, makes it easier for fans to bring Durant and his 29.3 career playoff average to town. Green, a tough defender, was more of a scoring option with the Memphis Grizzlies (2017-23).
With the announcement of the trade, Durant cards saw an immediate uptick in sales. One of the higher valued cards to be swapped for cash was a 2007-08 Bowman Chrome #111 Durant BGS grade 9.5 for $249. Another high seller was a 2019 Panini Prizm #KDR Kevin Durant Sensational Signatures AU Gold Shimmer Prizms /10 for $393.89.
The biggest seller on an eBay auction was a 2007-08 Topps Chrome #131 Kevin Durant Orange Refractor RC /199 BGS grade 8 going for $1,752 after 26 bids.
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