Houston asked a lot of Kevin Durant last season. And the NBA veteran answered by playing 78 regular-season games and logging 2,840 minutes, helping the Rockets finish 52-30. But their playoff run ended much sooner than they would’ve wanted. Why? It primarily happened because Durant was missing.
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The veteran was available for only one of Houston’s six first-round games against the Los Angeles Lakers after a right knee injury kept him out of Game 1, and a left ankle sprain ended his series in Game 2. But now, with more roster depth around him, the Rockets have a new plan for the 2026-27 season.
Simply put, head coach Ime Udoka wants to reduce Durant’s game time, avoid overreliance and not pay the price again.
“We will play more people,” Udoka said on the Rockets’ media day. “It’s easier said than done to play a 10-man rotation, but there are a lot of deserving guys. We want to get Amen [Thompson] and Kevin’s minutes down.”
In the same set of interviews, Durant was also asked about Udoka and general manager Rafael Stone’s message, and he responded quite bluntly.
“Why?” Durant said about his game time being cut down. “I’m better on the court. The team is better when I’m on the court… Not just for the sake of getting my minutes down just because he’s older or he played a lot of minutes. That’s what I’m supposed to be training for! Is to play the long haul, play 48 minutes a night.”
That mindset is not new for Durant. In January, during the same heavy workload that saw him play 36.4 minutes per game, he offered a very logical understanding.
“I feel great,” Durant said. “That’s what I’m paid to do. I get paid 50-something million dollars to be available and play… so it’s on me to prepare the right way so I can be ready for 40-plus minutes. I’m preparing for 48 minutes a night.”
Durant was also spot-on that Houston played better with him on the court. The numbers show how much the team relied on him. Durant averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists while shooting 52.0 percent from the field and 41.3 percent from three. He ranked second in the NBA, behind Amen Thompson, in total minutes. He was also among the handful of players aged 37 or older to reach 2,800 minutes in a season.
At the same time, per Cleaning the Glass, the Rockets’ offense was 3.4 points per 100 possessions better with Durant on the court than off. Udoka’s approach relied heavily on Thompson and Durant because the team lacked creative outlets. But that’s set to change. Houston has more depth this season, with Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams back, along with Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic.
Although Durant was blunt in his response, he is not entirely against the idea. He is willing to come out of games early, but only on one condition.
“If we handle our business the first three quarters, then maybe,” Durant said. “I get the concern, but if the game needs me to be out there, I want to be out there.”
That leaves Houston with a clear balancing act. VanVleet, who is returning to the court, hasn’t played in a game since May 2025. He has been cleared to participate in 5-on-5 practice and scrimmages, which is a very positive sign for someone recovering from a torn ACL. VanVleet watched his Houston team concede 18.8 points per game from turnovers last year, but now he is cautiously optimistic.
“I just think [now] everybody can slide back into their natural positions, and I think we can do a better job of putting each other in positions to be successful,” VanVleet said. “There’s a lot of areas where things will just naturally slide back into the way that they’re supposed to be in the way this team was designed.”
“I’ve been progressing nicely. These things don’t always go how you want them to go, how you plan them to go. But to be where I am right now, with the season about 30 days out, the opener, I feel really good. It’s going to be a process. So, I’m sure what you guys see [early] won’t be the finished product.”
Meanwhile, Steven Adams, who underwent left ankle surgery in January after 32 games last season, assured the fanbase that the Rockets are “hungry” and are here “to make some real noise.” It’s important to note that with Adams physically guarding the paint, Houston has led the league in offensive rebounding in the past two seasons. So, having him back is more than an added advantage.
Aside from that, GM Stone admitted that strong performances from Thompson, Reed Sheppard, Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. were the “silver lining” after how they ended last season in the playoffs. The interesting thing is that Houston has locked in three of the aforementioned names through the 2029-30 season.
Udoka and the front office have ensured they are planning for the long term and building a young core. With Kevin Durant set to earn nearly $44 million this season and $46 million next season (a player option), it won’t be surprising if the Rockets gradually begin giving the others more playing time and phasing out the soon-to-be 38-year-old.
Possible Starting Five: VanVleet, Thompson, Durant/Eason, Smith Jr., Sengun.