Two Guards Kevin Durant Can Recruit to the Houston Rockets

The Rockets have finally acquired their superstar in Kevin Durant, bringing an offensive alpha to an elite young core ready to compete for a championship. The Rockets will be the fifth team in his illustrious career, potentially his last.

In his 17 seasons in the association, Durant has racked up 178 total teammates, plenty of whom are still in the league today. In prior stops, he's shown an ability to recruit potential teammates to his new squads, such as DeAndre Jordan and Jeff Green in Brooklyn.

He's already reunited with multiple past connections in Houston, having spent time with Green, Steven Adams, head coach Ime Udoka, and front office member D.J. Augustin. The Rockets currently hold 11 players on the main roster, along with two-way player Jeenathan Williams, leaving six total spots open to fill out the rotation.

Using Durant's long list of connections, who could the Rockets target to round out the roster?

Cameron Payne

Payne was originally drafted to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2015, and appeared in 57 games the following season in Durant's final season with the team. Payne struggled to find a spot in the league, bouncing between tanking teams and overseas leagues before his 2020 resurgence with the Phoenix Suns.

Since then, Payne has scored 8.6 points per game while shooting 38.1 percent from 3-point range, and has appeared in 61 playoff games. He reunited with Durant in Phoenix during the 2022-2023 season, and played 25 minutes per game alongside him in the 2023 Western Conference Semifinals loss to the Denver Nuggets.

With Aaron Holiday's future up in the air, Payne could be a more affordable free agent option for the backcourt rotation. He's played well in situations with fluctuating minutes, meaning he could step in and out for the young Reed Sheppard when needed. Payne has other connections in Houston as well, having played with Jock Landale and Steven Adams in prior stops.

Eric Gordon

Teaming up with Durant and the Rockets wouldn't just be a reunion between Gordon and Durant – it would be Gordon's homecoming to Houston. After spending over six seasons in Houston, Gordon left just before the team became competitive again, spending the next two-and-a-half seasons with the Clippers, Suns and 76ers.

It was in Phoenix that Gordon played with Durant, and averaged 11 points per game that season, contributing as a sniper alongside Durant and a creator without him. In 2024-2025, he still shot a blistering 40.9 percent from 3-point range, bringing his career average to 37.9 percent. However, Gordon's minutes per game dipped below 20 for the first time in his career, signifying the end may be near for the 36-year-old free agent.

Despite this, he can still contribute a valuable role to a young Rockets team both on and off the court. His spacing in spot minutes can open up lanes for Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun, along with a steady veteran presence in the locker room that Jeff Green has added the past two seasons.