Kevin Durant is still producing like a franchise centerpiece, and the numbers say the conversation about his age may be getting ahead of the reality.
Last season, Durant scored 2,026 points, trailing only Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Jaylen Brown. That total also set the mark for the most points ever scored by a 37-year-old in a single season. With another year ahead, he now has a shot at another age-based benchmark: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record of 1,846 points as a 38-year-old.
If Durant keeps up his 26.0 points per game pace, the 16-time All-Star would keep pushing the ceiling for what a veteran scorer can still do. He’s not just hanging on. He’s still carrying a load that looks a lot more like a prime star than a player nearing the end.
The standard for this kind of longevity is LeBron James. At 41, the 22-time All-Star signed a two-year, $7.9 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers in July, and his career has long been the reference point for staying elite deep into a career.
Durant’s own value, though, is not always viewed that way around the league. Some NBA front offices reportedly see him as less of a premium trade target than they once did, with age playing a big role in that shift. Even so, his production keeps telling a different story.
He finished last season with averages of 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists across 78 games. He also landed in the top 10 in Clutch Player of the Year voting and earned All-NBA Second Team honors.
Durant did miss most of Houston’s first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers, but his regular-season availability was mostly steady. He missed only four games in the regular season and has averaged 71.6 appearances over the past three years.
That kind of durability stands out even more when compared with younger stars who have been managed more carefully, including Joel Embiid and Zion Williamson. Durant also logged 36.4 minutes per game last season, the third-most in the league behind only Tyrese Maxey and Amen Thompson.
At Rockets training camp, Durant made it clear he doesn’t want a reduced role. And with a player option for the 2027-2028 season, he has the flexibility to choose the setup that fits him best, regardless of how Rockets head coach Ime Udoka handles his minutes next season.
For now, the path ahead looks open. Durant’s output still matches that of a top-level star, and James’s career may be the clearest blueprint for where this could go next.
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Thompson said he has been focused on that part of his game all offseason, and he is aiming higher than just becoming a steadier shooter. He wants All-Star and All-NBA recognition, and the early signs from within the locker room have been encouraging, with teammates noticing progress in his shot and his physical condition. If that improvement keeps building, it could change the way opponents defend him and, in turn, open up another level for the Rockets. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin Durant Is Already Changing Jabari Smith Jr In Houston
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For Smith, the changes are less about bulk and more about staying mobile, which matters on both ends for a player expected to keep expanding his role. The challenge is finding the right version of that evolution without sacrificing the agility that lets him handle smaller defenders, and that balance will be worth watching as the Rockets try to blend Durants veteran polish with the energy of their younger core. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin Durant Trade Buzz Just Put Houston's Commitment In Focus
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Even with Durant still producing at an All-NBA level, Houston has shown no appetite for opening the door on his market, and a move before the season starts looks unlikely. That stance says plenty about where the Rockets see themselves right now - not as a club tempted by star-chasing noise, but as one committed to protecting the pieces that have made the roster so promising in the first place. [Read more 🡒]