Kevin Durant believes the Rockets’ rough playoff exit last season can still pay off in a big way.
Houston’s postseason was a grind from the start, with shaky coaching moments and a pile of injury trouble cutting into the team’s margin for error. Durant missed most of the first-round series against the Lakers, while Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams were out for the entire matchup. That left a heavier load on a young core that included Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard.
And even though the series got ugly at times, Durant sees value in that kind of pressure. Houston had stretches where it got overwhelmed by the Lakers’ crunch-time defense, especially in Game 3, but those moments also gave the Rockets a clear look at what still needs cleaning up.
That’s part of why the organization didn’t go wild in free agency. The Rockets are betting on internal growth, and they backed that belief with long-term extensions for Thompson and Tari Eason, alongside the commitments already in place for Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr.
There should be more veteran help around them this time, too. Houston is counting on Durant, VanVleet and Adams to be available, and the team also added Marcus Smart as a backup guard.
The common thread with Houston’s veteran moves has been fit. These are players who can support the young talent, create space and make life easier for everyone else.
Durant fits that mold as well, even with his scoring reputation. He has spent the second half of his career showing he can thrive without always needing the ball in his hands.
For Houston, the path forward still runs through its young core. Last postseason, those players were forced to absorb a ton on their own. This time, the Rockets are hoping that experience, plus more help around them, turns into something bigger.
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Houstons expected starting group for next season already has a clear shape, with Kevin Durant joining Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr. and Fred VanVleet in what looks like a formidable opening five. After finishing last season 52-30 and positioning itself as a serious Western Conference contender, the Rockets are entering the new campaign with the kind of front-line talent that gives the roster real upside before training camp even starts.
The bigger question sits in the backcourt, where VanVleet is coming back from an ACL injury and his status will help determine how Houston sorts out the point guard role. If his return does not fully lock down that spot, Reed Sheppard and Marcus Smart are the names most likely to push into the conversation, leaving one of the teams most important jobs as the most closely watched battle on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin Durant Is Already Fueling A Rockets Debate This Offseason
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Around Houston, though, the connection has prompted a familiar debate about where that mentorship should be going. Kendrick Perkins publicly took issue with Durant spending that kind of time with Banchero rather than directing it toward some of the Rockets younger pillars, a sentiment that lands in a city eager to see its core take the next step. For a team trying to build around rising talent, even an offseason workout can turn into a larger conversation about leadership, priorities and who should be getting the benefit of Durants time. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Face A Big Kyrie Irving Question Ahead Of Deadline
Kyrie Irving is on the comeback trail in Dallas after missing last season with an ACL injury, and the Mavericks are even talking about getting him into preseason action. His return alone would be notable, but the bigger question around him now is whether he stays put long enough for the season to really get going, with NBA chatter already shifting toward what his market could look like before the February deadline.
For Houston, the conversation matters because the Rockets are still sorting out their backcourt and trying to judge how aggressively to press their championship window. NBA insider Jake Fischer has floated the possibility of Irving moving before the deadline, and while no offer or decision has surfaced, the idea of a front-line talent becoming available is the kind of development that can quickly reshape the market for a team like the Rockets. [Read more 🡒]