KD to Houston: A Swing and a Miss, No Matter What They Say
Remember all the chatter? Back when Kevin Durant bolted Brooklyn for Phoenix in February 2023, then the whispers started about Houston. Everyone was connecting the dots, "He wants to play with Ime Udoka again." "The Rockets have cap space!" ESPN's "Get Up" crew, bless their hearts, were practically drawing blueprints. Some folks, like Kendrick Perkins, were already crowning them contenders. Me? I never bought it. And now, seeing the Rockets' 2023-24 season wrap up at 41-41, I still don't.
Let's be real. Durant leaving the Suns for Houston would have been a colossal miscalculation. Phoenix, even with its drama, won 49 games last season and made it to the Western Conference Semifinals, pushing the eventual champion Nuggets for six games. Houston, meanwhile, was scraping the bottom of the barrel, finishing 22-60. That's a 27-game difference. And yes, Houston made a leap this past year, improving by 19 wins. That’s commendable for Udoka and GM Rafael Stone. But it’s not a KD-level leap.
**The Rockets' Young Guns Weren't Ready**
Here's the thing: Durant thrives in an ecosystem built around his scoring, but also one with established playmaking and defense. The Rockets just weren’t there yet. Alperen Sengun is a phenomenal passer, averaging 5.0 assists in 2023-24, but he’s still learning to anchor a defense. Jalen Green? He had a strong finish to the season, dropping 26.1 points per game in March, but his overall efficiency (42.3% from the field for the season) still needs work. And Fred VanVleet, while a steady veteran, isn't a primary facilitator for a championship contender. He averaged 8.1 assists, sure, but his usage rate is high.
Imagine KD trying to fit into that. He’d be taking shots away from Green and Sengun, stunting their growth, or worse, getting frustrated with their inconsistencies. We saw a glimpse of that in Brooklyn. Durant put up 29.0 points a night for the Nets in 2022-23, but the team felt disjointed, a collection of talent rather than a cohesive unit. Houston, for all its potential, was still in the "collection of talent" phase. Trading away future picks and young players to land a 35-year-old Durant would have mortgaged their future for, at best, a couple of competitive seasons. Their current roster has an average age of 24.1 years. Durant is firmly in the "win now" camp. Those two timelines don't align.
Look, I'll give "Get Up" this much: Udoka knows how to coach. He got the Celtics to the Finals in 2022. And adding Dillon Brooks (1.7 steals per game) and VanVleet in the offseason definitely upped their defensive intensity. But you don't jump from 22 wins to a title contender just by adding a superstar and a couple of vets, especially when your core pieces are still finding their way.
My hot take? If Durant had gone to Houston, he'd be clamoring for a trade again by the 2025 deadline. The Rockets, for all their strides, are still a few years and a legitimate second star away from being a true threat. Durant made the right choice by staying put in Phoenix, even if that experiment ultimately fizzled out. And I predict the Rockets make the playoffs next season as a 6-seed, without a single superstar trade.