Kevin Durant’s move to Houston has already given the Rockets plenty to talk about, and this weekend the conversation spilled into a fresh round of social media chatter involving the Suns’ side of the story.
It started after Phoenix owner Mat Ishbia told CNBC that he had learned to better define the team’s culture since Durant’s departure in 2025. Durant’s two-and-a-half seasons in Phoenix did not produce a trip to the Western Conference Finals, even with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal alongside him.
Then Dillon Brooks jumped in on Instagram with a line aimed squarely at the situation:
"Thanks Matt for cleaning up that stench in the locker room before I got here #culture".
Dillon Brooks IG story. 👀 pic.twitter.com/j0jtLSgD1I
Brooks came to Phoenix in the seven-team deal that sent Durant to Houston, and his first season there ended with the Suns going 45-37 and reaching the Play-In Tournament.
Meanwhile, Durant’s first year with the Rockets ended without a deep playoff run, as Houston finished 52-30 before falling in the first round to the Los Angeles Lakers. Even so, there’s plenty of optimism around the roster entering next season.
Durant is still producing like an All-NBA force. Last season, he averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists across 78 games, and he also finished in the top 10 in Clutch Player of the Year voting.
Houston’s upside goes well beyond Durant, too. Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson are both viewed as possible All-Star selections in 2027, with Sengun drawing Nikola Jokic comparisons as a playmaking center and Thompson building his reputation as a versatile defensive specialist.
The Rockets also expect contributions from Fred VanVleet, who posted 14.1 points per game while seeing his scoring load continue to dip, though his leadership remains a key part of the mix. Marcus Smart and Reed Sheppard are also expected to matter in the backcourt.
One thing to keep an eye on is Durant’s player option for the 2027-2028 season. Since leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder more than a decade ago, the two-time NBA champion has not stayed with any team longer than three seasons.
For now, though, Houston is looking at the bigger picture: a team with enough talent to chase wins now and enough pieces to stay in the mix for the long haul.
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Knecht entered the league as a first-round pick and already showed enough touch to pop onto the radar in his rookie season, which is exactly why his situation is worth monitoring. Houston also has an open two-way slot sitting there, so if Los Angeles has to make a move and the young wing becomes available, the Rockets would have a clean path to act quickly. [Read more 🡒]
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Houstons current group is already built around more established players, so immediate openings for those young prospects were always going to be hard to find. The more likely next stop is the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, where the Rockets can keep the pipeline flowing and give those players a chance to stay in the mix while the big-league roster remains crowded. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Lock In Final Roster Depth Ahead Of Opening Night
The Rockets made their final roster adjustments before opening night, turning Oscar Tshiebwe and Julian Phillips into two-way players as the organization settled on its last bit of depth. Houston will carry three two-way contracts into the season, with Tshiebwe, Phillips and Qadir Copeland filling those spots as the team trims down to its regular-season group.
Sean Pedulla was waived to make the roster math work, leaving Houston with its final look heading into the opener. For a team still sorting out how best to support its core, these end-of-camp moves matter because they shape the pipeline between the NBA club and the developmental side, even if the spotlight is elsewhere once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]