Houston basketball is entering a new era. With Kevin Durant now in Rockets red, the franchise has stepped back into the spotlight, and expectations for the 2025-26 season are soaring.
The Rockets were not lacking in talent before his arrival. Alperen Sengun has blossomed, Amen Thompson is a future cornerstone, and Jalen Green continues to rise alongside Dillon Brooks, Fred VanVleet, and Tari Eason. Still, this group had not been guided by a veteran of Durant’s stature, a player whose résumé reshapes the identity of a locker room the moment he walks in. At 36, Durant provides Houston with both a steadying presence and one of the most versatile scorers the league has ever seen. His presence is expected to sharpen the Rockets’ offensive flow while accelerating the growth of their younger stars.
Houston fans cannot help but draw comparisons to the past. The last time the city had a veteran superstar arrive with such weight was in 1984, when Hakeem Olajuwon joined the Rockets as the first pick in the draft. Olajuwon carried Houston to its first championship in 1994 and a repeat title the very next year. Now 62 and thriving in ventures from real estate to fashion, Olajuwon remains a reminder of how a single player can shift the fortunes of a franchise. Durant’s challenge is to inspire a similar transformation for a new generation.
Durant’s immediate outlook is promising. Last season he shot an efficient 43 percent, and his game should blend seamlessly with Dorian Finney-Smith, who connected on 41 percent of his shots. Together, they form a pairing that could stretch defenses and open up new possibilities for Houston’s attack. This is a roster designed to make a serious push in the Western Conference.
But reality comes with its caveats. Durant will turn 37 on opening night, and Houston’s general manager Rafael Stone has made it clear that he is not expected to play a full schedule. The Rockets must prepare for stretches without him, where Sengun, Thompson, and Finney-Smith will have to shoulder the scoring load. There is also the risk of relying on a roster that carries more miles and more health concerns than many of their rivals.
Even so, the trade that delivered Durant to Houston is already being hailed as a masterstroke. The Rockets managed to acquire one of the game’s most prolific talents without surrendering the prized first-round selections in 2027 and 2029 that originally belonged to Phoenix. Though two starters were sacrificed in the deal, the long-term calculation appears to lean heavily in Houston’s favor.
Durant’s arrival has not only given the Rockets a shot of immediate star power but also reintroduced them to the national conversation. Houston’s gamble is clear: trust in the brilliance of a veteran who still has the ability to dominate, and hope that his presence ignites the younger core to grow faster than expected. If that balance holds, the Rockets could be preparing for their most thrilling season in decades.
