The Rockets’ latest loss reopened an uncomfortable conversation, even if only for a night.
Houston fell 102-99 to the Suns on November 7, a game that put Jalen Green back across from the franchise that sent him to Phoenix in the July 6, 2025 deal that brought Kevin Durant to the Rockets. It was Houston’s third loss of the season, and it came on the heels of another disappointing defeat.
That earlier setback came against a Minnesota Timberwolves team missing Antony Edwards. Then the Rockets turned around and dropped one to a Suns squad sitting at 3-5.
Durant did his part with 21 points and 10 rebounds, though his 1-for-7 shooting from three stood out. Even so, the bigger question wasn’t about Durant’s box score.
It was about the deal itself, and whether Houston ever reaches a point where it looks back and wonders if moving Green was the wrong call.
Green had a strong night of his own, finishing with 16 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists while working as Devin Booker’s co-star. That line doesn’t exactly scream “better than Durant,” but it does keep the conversation alive when you zoom out and think about roster depth.
Green wasn’t the only piece Houston moved, either. The Rockets would also be looking at a team that potentially included Dillion Brooks.
Still, it’s only ten games into the season, and losses like this are going to happen. The current group has looked solid overall, and there’s a strong argument that dwelling on the past doesn’t help much. The real issue is whether this Rockets team ends up telling the same story as last season, or whether this becomes another frustrating chapter in Durant’s career.
There’s also the Green angle, and that starts with the expectations that came when Houston took him with the 2nd pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. At the time, there was real buzz around a player who skipped college for the G League and got to test himself against NBA-caliber competition every night. The Rockets believed they had their guard of the future.
Now, looking at where things stand, and with Green not developing into a lights-out three-point shooter, it’s easy to see why Houston would prefer this version of the roster. Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, and Marcus Smart give the team a different kind of balance, and one that brings more to the table overall.
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The concern is what happens when opponents get inside the arc. Houston has not been as sharp protecting the rim or limiting overall field goal percentage, and the issue has been made more noticeable by the absence of veteran depth in the frontcourt. Steven Adams is sidelined with a calf injury, Clint Capela is out with an ankle issue, and the Rockets are suddenly thinner behind their main bigs than they would like this early in the season. [Read more 🡒]
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For Houston, that matters because the ceiling of this group is tied to how often Durant can bend a defense in the paint and create easier answers for everyone else. When his touches turn into tougher jumpers, the offense can flatten out, and the Rockets lose some of the pressure that makes their attack dangerous. The question now is whether they can get him into more rim attacks and turn those possessions into something more efficient for both Durant and the team around him. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Face A Bigger Problem Than Their Improved Offense
The Rockets have clearly tried to evolve their identity this season, moving away from the bruising, physically dominant style that defined last year and leaning into a more polished offensive approach. The results have shown up in a better offensive rating, but the tradeoff has been hard to miss. Houston no longer looks as overwhelming on the glass or as disruptive on defense, which is a significant shift for a team that built so much of its edge on controlling possessions.
What makes the change more complicated is that the offense still does not have a true superstar to lean on every night. The Rockets can play prettier basketball and still need someone to steady the attack when the shots dry up, but the bigger concern may be on the second unit and in the paint. Steven Adams absence has left a noticeable void in the frontcourt rotation, and Houstons need for a more reliable backup center is becoming harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]