Why the Rockets can't make a Durant-Westbrook reunion happen

Russell Westbrook. Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Why the Rockets can't make a Kevin Durant-Russell Westbrook reunion happen

By Sai Mohan | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 8:44 AM ET

Nearly a decade after their infamous split in Oklahoma City, fans have been eager to see Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook share the court again, this time as members of the Houston Rockets.

For many, that dream was nearly spoken into existence when Fred VanVleet suffered a season-ending ACL injury, opening a spot for a starting point guard on the Rockets.

Rockets not allowed to sign Russell Westbrook

Alas, the NBA's new CBA prevents the Rockets from signing Westbrook or any other player, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks.

Marks noted that the Rockets would need to make a trade to acquire a point guard, as they are $1.25M below the first apron and therefore not allowed to sign any more free agents. They can secure a $14.1M Disabled Player Exception, but can't use it on a free agent due to apron rules. The insider's report basically threw cold water on Houston's prospects of making a Durant-Westbrook reunion a reality.

Other point guards still available on the free agency market include Ben Simmons, Monte Morris, Delon Wright, Cameron Payne, Patty Mills and Markelle Fultz.

Rockets depth chart

* Barring a trade, Houston cannot fill their open roster spot with a FA. They are $1.25M below the 1st apron.

* They are allowed to file for a Disabled Player Exception (valued at $14.1M). But cannot use because of the apron. pic.twitter.com/EgQcGdEAMC
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) September 22, 2025

Should Rockets make a trade?

The only path for the Rockets to sign Westbrook or Simmons would be to trade one of their rotational players in a salary dump to a team with cap space or an additional roster spot. However, there are challenges in this path, too, as they're ineligible to move Clint Capela, Dorian Finney-Smith, Steven Adams or Jeff Green until the Dec. 15 trade restriction expires for newly-signed free agents.

These challenges mean the Rockets could be forced to entrust Amen Thompson, 22, or Reed Sheppard, 21, with ball-handling duties to start the season. This is definitely not an ideal situation for a team that was previously pegged as the second-best team in the West behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, the defending champions.

Some of those questions could be answered when the Rockets host the Atlanta Hawks in their preseason opener on Oct. 6.

Sai Mohan

A veteran sportswriter based in Portugal, Sai covers the NBA for Yardbarker and a few local news outlets. He had the honor of covering sporting events across four different continents as a newspaper reporter. Some of his all-time favorite athletes include Mike Tyson, Larry Bird, Luís Figo, Ayrton Senna and Steffi Graf.

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