The Rockets’ Kevin Durant gamble didn’t deliver the clean fit Houston hoped for, and now the questions are already circling around what comes next.
Last season, injuries helped derail the plan before it ever really got off the ground. Two veteran absences hit hard early, and the ripple effect went beyond what showed up in the box score.
“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," ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon wrote.
That backdrop matters because Durant’s status in Houston doesn’t sound settled. Even though the Rockets spent to bring him in, they reportedly never treated him as untouchable.
“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.
One potential route floated by Sports Illustrated’s Eric Jay Santos would send Durant to New York. In that scenario, Houston would land OG Anunoby, Pacome Dadiet, and draft compensation.
“One potential trade idea is to deal Durant to the New York Knicks for OG Anunoby, Pacome Dadiet, and draft compensation. The intent would be to have the 29-year-old Anunoby presumably play his prime years alongside Houston’s developing core, while keeping Durant with a championship-contending team in the Eastern Conference,” Santos wrote.
For Houston, that kind of deal would mean saying goodbye to a player of Durant’s caliber. But it would also bring back Anunoby, a two-time NBA champion and elite defender who could fit the Rockets’ timeline for years.
The Knicks angle is just as obvious. A move like that could put New York in position to chase another title this season, though Durant would almost certainly need a new contract there. Anunoby, by contrast, is already signed for at least the next two seasons.
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The tricky part is that this is not only about fit, but about timing. Durant has a player option next season, which means Houston may have to make an uncomfortable call before the deadline rather than risk watching him reach a point where he can walk away without bringing anything back. For a team trying to clean up the dynamics around its core, that kind of decision could become just as important as anything it does on the court. [Read more 🡒]