NBA Analyst Believes Kevin Durant Will Retire With the Houston Rockets

At 36 years old, entering his 19th season, Kevin Durant has nothing left to prove. The former league MVP has captured multiple championships and Finals MVPs, establishing himself as perhaps the most talented scorer in the history of the game. However, he still has plenty left in the tank.

Durant made waves this offseason, being traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets. The Texas alum is playing for his fifth team, searching for his third championship with a new, young core. He'll be joining a group led by Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Fred VanVleet, and more.

The longevity among NBA veterans has only increased as time has gone on. It's not just prevalent among the league's stars like Durant and LeBron James, but role players as well. Who knows when the Slim Reaper will retire after averaging 26.6 points per game last season?

While Durant has multiple years left of elite production, one analyst and a former teammate of his believes he will retire with the Rockets. Kendrick Perkins, a former Oklahoma City Thunder center, went on NBA Today to talk about the star's looming extension.

"[The Rockets are] committed to Kevin Durant, or should be, and Kevin Durant is committed to the Rockets," Perkins said. "He's on record saying his next destination, before he left the Phoenix Suns, wanted to be his last destination. I believe Kevin Durant will retire as a Rocket."

Durant is set to make $54.7 million this season, but is eligible to sign a two-year $122.1 million extension that would keep him in Houston until 2028. By the end of that season, he'd be 39.

Having a near-40-year-old as the leader and best player on your team is a risk, and there's no telling what could happen between now and the 2027-28 season. Durant hasn't even signed an extension yet. However, stars like James and Stephen Curry have proven that age is just a number. Durant is still one of the game's best scorers.

The Rockets have also managed to bring the 6-foot-11 star into a core that could legitimately contend for a championship. Houston finished as the No. 2 seed in a crowded Western Conference before acquiring Durant, and his signing (plus a few more) fixes plenty of offensive holes that led to the team's first-round exit.