Durant Curse! US Media Reviews Injury Spree During Nets and Suns Tenures: Will the Rockets Follow the Same Path?

On September 27th Beijing time, is the “Durant Curse” real? VanVleet’s serious injury has sparked a discussion by The Athletic about this somewhat enigmatic subject —

Before the 2025-26 season has started, the Rockets’ season plans have been severely disrupted. VanVleet was confirmed to have a torn anterior cruciate ligament and has had surgery. Since the injury happened early, if the Rockets advance far enough in the playoffs, he might return later in the season. However, considering the 31-year-old guard’s knee recovery timeline, the Rockets might opt for a cautious approach and let him rest until the 2026-27 season.

Regardless of the outcome, this is undoubtedly a harsh setback for a team aiming to compete for the Western Conference title. Last season, the Rockets made a significant leap by finishing second in the West with 52 wins; this summer, they acted decisively by acquiring Durant via trade and signing Fini-Smith, targeting the championship. Now, with VanVleet sidelined and limited depth at the point guard position, the team must rely on Amen Thompson to reclaim his role as the primary playmaker or hope Shepard and Aaron Holiday step up.

This raises the question: does the “Durant Curse” really exist, causing teams he joins to suffer repeated setbacks? Although the Rockets have not completely collapsed, they have clearly been put on the back foot. In fact, ever since Durant left the Warriors in 2019, the teams he has played for have frequently been hit by unexpected injuries — back then, he was recovering from an Achilles rupture before joining the Nets alongside Irving; since then, whether with the Nets or later with the Suns, injuries have persistently followed him.

Origin of the “Curse”: Why Does This Notion Exist?

Why do people associate the “curse” with Durant? Perhaps it traces back to his controversial decision in 2016 when he chose to join the Warriors who had just achieved 73 wins. This move sparked widespread debate; even though he won championships with the Warriors in 2017 and 2018, those titles didn’t earn the same universal respect as other stars who won purely on merit. This led to speculation: “Maybe the ‘Basketball God’ allowed him to win but simultaneously placed a ‘curse’—his teams would struggle to remain consistent title contenders thereafter.”

So, who might be the originator of this so-called “curse”? Some jokingly blame the often-mentioned “Basketball God.” While no one can prove its existence, imagine it as a “Faustian bargain”: trading fleeting championship glory for future hardships. Others humorously suggest it was Draymond Green who “cast the spell” when they parted ways in 2019.

Evidence of the “Curse”: Injury Troubles in Durant’s Teams

To examine whether the “curse” is real, let’s review the injury history of teams Durant has played for since leaving the Warriors:

1. Nets Era (2019-2023): The Dream of the Big Three Fades

In the 2020-21 season, when the Nets finally had Durant and Irving both healthy, they made a mid-season trade for Harden to form a potent offensive “Big Three” aiming for the championship. However, injuries quickly shattered these hopes:

During the regular season, the trio played together in only 8 games: Durant missed 37 of 72 games, Irving missed 18, and Harden missed 22 after joining;

In the playoffs, they appeared together in just 6 of 12 games, with 5 of those in the first round;

Harden struggled with a lingering hamstring injury, while Irving suffered an ankle injury in the second-round series against the Bucks;

In the crucial Game 7 of the semifinals, Durant came within “half a shoe size” of a game-winning shot, but the Nets ultimately lost in overtime to the Bucks.

The following year, injuries worsened: Irving missed 53 games, Durant missed 27; mid-season, Harden forced a trade to the 76ers, and the Nets were swept in the first round. By mid-2022-23, Durant was traded to the Suns and Irving joined the Mavericks, marking the end of the Nets’ “Big Three” era.

2. Suns Era (2023-2025): Another Championship Dream Shattered

After Durant joined the Suns, they lost in the second round of the 2023 playoffs to Jokic-led Nuggets. Many believed that with offseason adjustments, the Suns would fully contend next season, but reality again proved disappointing:

The Suns acquired Beal to form a new “Big Three” with Durant and Booker, but the trio played only 41 regular season games together — Booker missed 14, Beal missed 29;

In the 2024 playoffs, the Suns were swept in the first round by the Timberwolves;

During the 2024-25 season, injuries continued to plague the Suns: Beal missed another 29 games, Durant missed 20, and the “Big Three” appeared together in only 37 games;

In games without Durant, the Suns went just 3-17 and ultimately failed to make the play-in tournament.

Questions and Reflections: Will the Rockets Repeat History?

Now that Durant has joined the Rockets and VanVleet quickly suffered an injury, talk of the “curse” has flared up again. Beyond VanVleet’s injury, Durant’s own health is a concern — over the past five seasons, he has missed a total of 126 games. Additionally, despite having strong rosters in recent years, the Rockets have repeatedly had poor luck in the playoffs.

However, a more rational view is needed: is the so-called “Durant Curse” truly a supernatural force? Or is it simply a series of coincidences and unfortunate injuries? Should adults really believe in “curses” in sports?

For the Rockets, despite a rocky start, the team still possesses enough talent and capability to compete — perhaps fans need not panic but instead quietly await the team’s adjustments and comeback.