Why Rockets shouldn't give too much away for Kevin Durant

The Houston Rockets are coming off a 52-30 season, finishing second in the Western Conference. 

In the first round of the playoffs, Houston fell behind 3-1 to the Golden State Warriors before rallying to force a Game 7. The series ended with a 103-89 loss at home, but the season marked a major step forward for a team boasting top-five defensive metrics and one of the league’s most exciting young cores.

Despite the team's significant improvement since the hiring of head coach Ime Udoka, Houston’s inconsistent outside shooting and Jalen Green’s up-and-down play could push the front office to consider a splashy move. While trading for future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant could be tempting, it may not be the best move. 

No promise of championship success

There’s no question Durant remains an elite scorer, but his recent teams haven’t accomplished anything notable. Since leaving the Warriors, Durant-led squads have posted a 13-18 playoff record. The Brooklyn Nets flamed out early in three straight postseasons before the roster fell apart. Last season, Durant’s Phoenix Suns went just 33-29 when he played, and despite appearing alongside stars like Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, they failed to qualify for the Play-In Tournament.

At this stage, Durant’s impact isn’t what it used to be — and that’s before addressing his injuries.

Availability and aging concerns

Durant missed the entire 2019-20 season with an Achilles tear. Since then, he’s been sidelined for 136 games across five seasons. As he enters his age-37 campaign, banking on improved durability would be wishful thinking. He’s not the same on-ball defender he once was, either. Last year, the Suns allowed 118.9 points per 100 possessions with Durant on the floor, the worst defensive rating of his career and slightly worse than when he was off the court.

Houston’s defensive rating was the fifth-best in the NBA at 110.3, and is built heavily on switching, effort and the team's young legs. Adding Durant — who may not be willing to accept a lower-usage, defense-first role — could disrupt the identity that has made this group successful under Udoka.

Acquiring Durant could hurt the future

The Rockets' future has tremendous promise with Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith, Cam Whitmore, Tari Eason, Amen Thompson, Jalen Green and Reed Sheppard all under 25 years old. With Houston's future draft picks, the flexibility is there to grow naturally or make a trade when the right opportunity comes. Selling multiple assets for Durant could derail the franchise if he gets injured and if the team fails to win a championship in the next two seasons. Just look at Brooklyn and Phoenix.

Houston's history with aging stars

From Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen in the late 1990s to Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook more recently, Houston has taken big swings on aging stars before. Since 1995, the results have remained the same: no NBA Finals appearances.

The bottom line 

Durant would check many boxes for the Rockets. The Suns went 3-17 without him last season, and his Player Efficiency Rating ranked 27th in the league, higher than any Rocket not named Alperen Sengun. Durant also shot 43% from three and averaged 26.6 points per game, which would address some of Houston’s biggest offensive needs.

What we’ve seen from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the 2025 NBA Finals is a reminder of how much having an elite perimeter scorer can elevate a team. If healthy, Durant could be the player who helps Houston take the next step. However, that only makes sense if the Rockets can secure a team-friendly deal — one that doesn’t disrupt the future or compromise the chemistry they’ve already established.