Kevin Durant Underwent Thumb Surgery, But the Minor Operation Does Not Concern Rockets’ Leadership — a PaperCity Exclusive

Houston's Newest Star Is a Coup For the City

BY Chris Baldwin // 07.14.25

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Kevin Durant underwent thumb surgery recently, but the Houston Rockets doctors and decision makers are not concerned. It is considered a minor thumb surgery.

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Kevin Durant underwent thumb surgery recently, but the Houston Rockets doctors and decision makers are not concerned. It is considered a minor thumb surgery.

Easy Money Sniper is on the mend. New Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant underwent thumb surgery recently, NBA sources tell PaperCity. The very quiet surgery — which no outlet has reported on till now — is considered minor and a source tells PaperCity that Rockets leadership “did not give it a second thought” after the team’s doctors looked at x-rays of the thumb.

Durant is the centerpiece addition to a Rockets team that is now considered a serious championship contender with general manager Rafael Stone having swung the biggest trade of the NBA offseason, landing one of the Top 15 players in league history for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in last month’s draft and second round picks.

Durant, whose nickname Easy Money Sniper connotes the smooth and often seemingly effortless way he scores, is expected to be ready to go when the Rockets need him in games that count. Durant joins a talent-packed group of young Rockets that Stone somehow kept intact (outside of Green) while dealing for him and will not have to carry the load every night during the regular season like he had to for a more limited Phoenix Suns team.

During last season, Kevin Durant played through a thumb injury on his left non-shooting hand at times, wearing a thumb brace when off the court. He still ended up shooting 52.7 percent from the field, 43 percent from three and 83.9 percent from the free-throw line in 62 games played.

The thumb injury and quiet offseason surgery raised no concerns to the Rockets’ decision makers according to a source with knowledge of their thinking. Durant has not been formally introduced by the team yet in the type of press conference that often accompanies such a monumental player acquisition.

This is a developing story and will be updated. Come back here for the latest on Kevin Durant’s thumb surgery and recovery.