The Rockets’ season ended with a first-round loss to the Lakers, and the disappointment only deepened once injuries started stacking up. Houston spent stretches without Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams, two veterans whose value went well beyond box scores.
Their absences left the Rockets short on more than production. According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon, the team felt the impact in the locker room and around the facility as well: “Interviews with team sources and those with knowledge of the team's operations reveal that the VanVleet injury, and the season-ending ankle injury to Steven Adams later on, impacted the team in ways that extended off the floor. Beyond the team's glaring lack of playmaking, their absences created a massive leadership void that Durant and the team struggled to fill,”
That backdrop has fed the growing conversation around Kevin Durant’s future in Houston. Reports have already indicated the Rockets do not consider him untouchable in trade talks, and that alone has opened the door to more speculation about how long this partnership lasts.
“Whether or not the Rockets look to continue their partnership with Durant is the big question at large, especially since they don't view him as an “untouchable” talent in trade talks on their roster. Houston viewed the opportunity to acquire Durant as a way to upgrade from Jalen Green and bridge the gaps in their lineup to contend in the West, but by no means was this addition viewed as a long-term commitment,” NBA insider Brett Siegel wrote.
That uncertainty has now led some to wonder whether Durant could eventually be the one to push for an exit if the situation doesn’t turn around. Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley pointed to the possibility of a trade request, noting: “After failing to make it off the launch pad-despite Durant looking every bit the part of his net-shredding best-does Houston just cross its fingers now and hope problems solve themselves?
Because it's been a fairly sleepy summer in Space City, save for Tari Eason's new contract and the signing of veteran role players Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanović. Maybe Durant is confident in what this club has, but his first season as a part of it did not seem remotely fun.
And it would hardly be out of his norm to tire of his hoops home and seek out a fresh start elsewhere,”
If Durant does ask out, it would send another jolt through a career that has already delivered plenty of twists. For Houston, it could also become a chance to get younger and bring back assets in a deal.
Durant, making him a realistic trade target for teams willing to take on his salary. If he’s moved, it would be one more major headline in an offseason that already has plenty of them.
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