Kevin Durant’s first year in Houston looked like a star still operating at a high level, but his trainer says there’s a clear spot where the work continues: handling double teams without coughing it up when the legs start to go.
Durant averaged 26 points per game in his first season with the Rockets, adding 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.8 steals. That production matched the reputation he brought with him to Houston. Even so, trainer Jamal "Dash" Lovell said the film pointed to one area that needs attention ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season.
"When they throw doubles at him and he’s tired or fatigued, we want him to get better at not turning the ball over out of the double team. So it’s about making sure that he develops as a passer through the double team.
So that was one of the points of emphasis from watching his film. It’s about making sure that he continues to develop."
That issue showed up in the postseason, too. In Houston’s lone matchup against the Lakers, Durant turned it over nine times. He wasn’t available for the other five games, and the Rockets ended up dropping the series 4-2 in a first-round exit.
The good news for Houston is that Durant should have more help around him next season. The addition of Marcus Smart and the return of Fred VanVleet are expected to ease some of the ball-handling burden on the 18-year NBA veteran.
In Other News...
Fred VanVleet Just Became A Bigger Rockets Question Than Ever
Amen Thompsons five-year, $208 million extension gave the Rockets a clear signal about where the franchise is headed, but it also sharpened the financial questions around the rest of the roster. Houston has invested heavily in its young core, and with the cap picture already getting tighter, every veteran piece now carries a little more weight than before.
Fred VanVleet sits right in the middle of that discussion. The point guard is working back from a recent injury, and his value to a team trying to keep climbing is easy to see when healthy. The harder part is figuring out how Houston balances that need against the long list of commitments coming due, which makes his place with the Rockets one of the more interesting issues to watch as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin Durant Opens Up About The Scrutiny Following Him To Houston
Kevin Durant has spent enough time in the NBA spotlight to know that every move follows him, and the scrutiny only gets heavier when he lands in a new place. During a Zoom seminar hosted by O.U.R. Mothers, the 16-time All-Star talked about staying authentic while reflecting on a career that has taken him from being drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics to an MVP season in 2014, championship runs with the Golden State Warriors, and stops with the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns before arriving in Houston.
For the Rockets, Durants presence is about more than star power in the present tense. He is preparing for his second season with a team that is aiming for a third straight 50-plus-win year, and the attention around him will not fade just because he has changed uniforms again. What matters now is how he handles the noise that comes with being Kevin Durant in Houston, where every conversation about the season seems to carry both expectation and examination. [Read more 🡒]