The Houston Rockets acquired Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the 10th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and five second round draft picks, but the transaction will not become official until July 6 when the NBA's new year begins*. Last season, the Rockets earned the second seed in the Western Conference with a 52-30 record before losing 4-3 in the first round to the Golden State Warriors; the Rockets were strong defensively, but they ranked just 21st in the league in field goal percentage (.455), and they shot .446 from the field in their playoff loss to the Warriors. The Rockets expect Durant's elite scoring and solid playmaking to provide a major boost to their anemic offense.
There is no disputing Durant's talent and productivity. The 2014 regular season MVP and two-time NBA champion/two-time NBA Finals MVP (2017, 2018) is a four-time regular season scoring champion (2010-12, 14) and five-time playoff scoring champion (2011, 2013-14, 2016, 2019) who ranks eighth in ABA-NBA regular season career points (30,571) and seventh in ABA-NBA playoff career points (4985). Durant owns the sixth highest ABA-NBA career regular season scoring average (27.2 ppg) and the fourth highest ABA-NBA career playoff scoring average (29.3 ppg). Durant, who turns 37 in September, averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 62 games last season while becoming the ninth member of pro basketball's 30,000 point club. The future Hall of Famer has averaged at least 25 ppg while shooting at least .500 from the field and at least .400 from three point range for three straight seasons, the longest such streak in ABA-NBA history.
Despite Durant's success, he has rarely seemed happy--let alone content--during his long and distinguished career. He fled Oklahoma City for Golden State in 2016 after leading the Thunder to game seven of the 2016 Western Conference Finals versus the Warriors, and then he orchestrated a move to Brooklyn in 2020 after winning two championships with the Warriors.
After Durant forced his way from Golden State to Brooklyn, I discussed his perpetual dissatisfaction:
There is a clear pattern here. Durant never feels happy or satisfied, no matter how much those around him cater to his needs and his expressed wants. The Thunder built their team around Durant, but he left; the Warriors embraced Durant from day one, built their team around him, but he left despite having the most successful all-around seasons of his career. Durant's comment that Golden State could not "alter anything in my basketball life" is odd, unless he values his individual honors and achievements over team success: he did not obtain ultimate team success until he joined a team that had already won a title just two years before he arrived...
Durant may win multiple titles in Brooklyn, or he may not win any titles. He may reestablish himself as an elite player after missing a full season due to a significant injury, or he may never return to his old form. Based on past experience, though, one thing seems certain: he will not be happy--and that is sad.
Durant played just 129 games in three seasons with the Nets before forcing his way to Phoenix, where he played just 145 games in three seasons. Durant enjoyed his greatest team success in Oklahoma City and Golden State, and he has had very little team success since leaving the Warriors. Between 2011 and 2019, Durant played in the Western Conference Finals six times, played in the NBA Finals four times, and won two titles; his Warriors reached the 2019 Western Conference Finals but he did not play due to injury, returning for one game in the 2019 NBA Finals before rupturing his right Achilles, causing him to miss the rest of the 2019 NBA Finals plus all of the 2019-20 regular season. Since leaving the Warriors, Durant has not reached the Conference Finals, he has advanced past the first round just twice, and he missed the playoffs last season. His post-Golden State resume includes a 2-4 playoff series record, and a 10-18 record in playoff games, including being on the wrong end of two first round sweeps.
It is understandable why the Rockets believe that acquiring Durant will improve their chances to win a title; they are already a big, physical, defensive-minded team, so adding a two-time champion who is an elite scorer seems to make their roster complete--but Durant has only made deep playoff runs when he was 30 or younger and playing alongside a dynamic, MVP-caliber guard (first Russell Westbrook, then Stephen Curry). Durant is seven years removed from his last deep playoff run, and the Rockets do not have--and do not seem likely to acquire--a dynamic, MVP-caliber guard.
Barring significant injuries, the Rockets are likely to win more than 50 games, and they should not lose again in the first round--but, beyond that, their future is less clear. Drama and discontent follow Durant, so it is premature to assume that the Rockets are a lock to reach the 2026 Western Conference Finals. The best case scenario is that Durant's efficient shooting opens up the floor for Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, and Fred VanVleet and that Durant is willing to buy in to Houston's gritty defensive style--but the worst case scenario is that within two years Durant is unhappy yet again and forcing his way out of town.
* July 7, 2025 update: The Durant trade has been consolidated into a record-setting seven team trade, with these terms, per NBA.com:
The Rockets receive:
Kevin Durant
Clint Capela
The Suns receive:
Jalen Green
Dillon Brooks
Khaman Maluach (No. 10 overall)
Rasheer Fleming (No. 31 overall)
Koby Brea (No. 41 overall)
Daequan Plowden
2026 second-round pick
2032 second-round pick
The Nets receive:
2026 second-round pick
2030 second-round pick
The Warriors receive:
Alex Toohey (No. 52 overall)
Jahmai Mashack (No. 59 overall)
The Hawks receive:
David Roddy
2031 second-round pick
Cash
The Lakers receive:
Adou Thiero (No. 36 overall)
Cash
Timberwolves receive:
Rocco Zikarsky (No. 45 overall)
2026 second-round pick
2032 second-round pick
Cash
ReplyDeleteMarcel
If this team stays healthy they probably the favorites
They got post play and great perimeter d with good shooting and playmaking
KD older but he always carried a team pretty well
He couldn't win with Westbrook
And gsw didn't appreciate him when he was there
I think he will excell in Houston and so will houston
Marcel:
ReplyDeleteYou would pick the Rockets over the Thunder in a seven game series?
Durant has not "carried" a team past the second round since 2019, when he was 30 years old, had not ruptured his Achilles, and had multiple All-Stars next to him, including an MVP-caliber guard.
Other than his brief time with a stacked Golden State team, Durant has won much less everywhere else he went than he did when he played with Westbrook.
How could the Warriors have shown more appreciation to Durant?
I think that Durant will be productive in Houston if he stays healthy. I am not sure how far the Rockets will advance in the playoffs.
OKC is a pretty good defensive team. I don't see how KD will improve Houston's defense and that is what's needed to beat OKC. It really depends on how much he plays and when. If he's going to start, I would think he's a liability on the defensive end.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteMarcel
The thunder aren't repeating. Magic, Shaq, Kobe, lebron, KD been the only players who repeated since 88
Shai not in that class he not good enough to lead a team to back to back titles cause if he does he a top 15 to 20 player of all time David
KD had a lot of success with the great Russ Westbrook and Steph
That also cause those guys stayed healthy and we're all time greats
As much I love Kyrie him being injury prone cost Brooklyn in 21
The Houston rockets players ar
Marcel
ReplyDeleteFinishing Houston rockets players are not injury prone and alot are young and athletic
I think it's a great chance they win the title
Health is the only real thing stopping them
No Indy and Boston
Unless my Lakers or another team emerge
Anon:
ReplyDeleteI would not say that Durant is a "liability," but I am not sure that at this stage of his career he will improve Houston's defense. The Rockets acquired him to boost their anemic offense.
Marcel:
ReplyDeleteI did not say that the Thunder are repeating, but I listed them as one team that I don't think that the Rockets would beat in a seven game series. The Rockets lost in the first round, so they have to pass a lot of teams to win the 2026 title.
It's too soon to say what SGA's peak will be, but I don't think that top 20 of all-time is out of reach for a 30 ppg scorer who passes and defends at a high level.
Marcel:
ReplyDeleteI like how you slid the Lakers in there. The Lakers have advanced past the first round once since winning the 2020 "bubble" title, so there is no logical reason to expect that they will be serious contenders this season. The Lakers must improve a lot defensively, and they must shift their roster from being built around LeBron--which includes holding a roster spot for his non-contributing son--to being built around Luka. I think that once the Lakers shift from LeBron-focused to Luka-focused they can become a contender.
There were numerous issues with the Durant-Booker-Beal Suns and I think one of them was that Durant and Booker had the same role offensively to the point where they canceled each other out. Both would try and defer to the other and it resulted in an underwhelming, stagnant offense considering how much offensive talent the roster had. I’m assuming that Durant will be the undisputed first option for Houston and that Booker will be the same for Phoenix.
ReplyDeleteThe Suns did inadvertently accomplish one thing very well and that was demonstrate that the super team approach is completely played out and will usually lead to bitter disappointment instead of a championship.
Michael:
ReplyDeleteThe Suns were not physical enough and not stout enough defensively. The Rockets are a more physical team and a better defensive team, so they should be better than the Suns--but there is a difference between being better than the Suns and being a legit championship contender. The Rockets should earn a top 2-3 seed, but I am not convinced that they are better than the Thunder, and I am taking a wait and see approach before even penciling them in as a Western Conference Finalist.
OKC has the MVP and 2 others that look like top 20 types eventually. While Ant has more responsibility than Jalen Williams and will continue to, I don't see a huge gap in skillet or ability. The same is true for Chet in relation to Wemby. The Thunder's vulnerable phase is over, I'm afraid, they're a battle-tested champion now.
ReplyDelete
DeleteMarcel
Ant Edwards is much better than Kaylin Williams
And wemby way better than chet stop
They have more responsibilities as lead guys, sure, but l don't see a huge gap in ability. Wemby is not a high impact offensive player, he plays like a less-efficient Durant rather than a true big. Tgr concept is better than the player at this point. Ant may be the most overhyped player in the league, and his basketball IQ is lacking.
DeleteOKC obviously very good. Almost all of the top teams are battle tested though. If the Pacers were the best team they played and their 2nd best player was often injured while they barely won in 7, OKC is very vulnerable still.
ReplyDeleteAnt much better than Wililams. Ant is a borderline superstar, while Williams barely an AS. Wemby much better on both sides of the ball over Holmgren.