The NBA announced this week that the Seattle SuperSonics could very likely return. As soon as the news broke, many immediately began to speculate that Kevin Durant might find his way back to the Emerald City.
Unfortunately, that scenario seems unlikely to materialize. There are several reasons for this, the main one being Durant’s age and the fact that any expansion team would require a lengthy adjustment period within the league, something that would take considerable time.
The NBA’s new expansion teams
The league appears to be targeting Las Vegas and Seattle as potential markets for new NBA expansion franchises. A vote scheduled for next week will determine whether these new locations will officially move forward.
It is worth remembering that the SuperSonics existed until 2008, when the franchise relocated. Because of that history, Seattle is widely viewed as a strong candidate to once again host an NBA team.
This possibility has sparked widespread speculation among fans, largely because Kevin Durant was drafted by the franchise in 2007. Many have suggested that he could ultimately finish his career with the team that selected him.
Could Durant really retire in Seattle?
This idea feels more like wishful thinking than a realistic outcome. According to Michael Lee of The Ringer, it does not appear to be a viable scenario.
With the NBA looking to possibly add an expansion franchise in Seattle in 2028, when he is set to become a free agent and will turn 40, Durant could set himself up for a potential storybook ending with the SuperSonics, the organization that drafted him.
But Durant has never been interested in going back to where he’s been. He resisted blatant overtures from his hometown Wizards as he approached free agency in 2016, and he rejected a trade that would have reunited him with the Warriors last season. He might be more open to nostalgia since being on the Rockets has brought him back to Texas, where he starred in college. But even athletes who are able to leave the game on their own terms don’t always choose the ending that makes the most sense. If that were the case, Jordan would have stopped playing in 1998 after pulling up over Bryon Russell.
Lee wrote.
Kevin Durant focuses on Houston
For now, the player is tuning out all the noise surrounding Seattle’s potential return to the NBA. His focus remains firmly on his current team as he continues to push for a playoff spot, which still appears distant but not impossible.
The Western Conference team currently sits in fourth place following a 100-92 loss to the Lakers on Monday, March 16, 2026.
It is also important to remember that Durant is 37 years old and playing in his 17th NBA season. This reality further complicates the idea of returning to Seattle, as joining an expansion team with limited chances of reaching the Finals would not align with his competitive ambitions at this stage of his career.
