Does The NBA Have a Houston Rockets Problem?

Does The NBA Have a Houston Rockets Problem?

june 22nd 2025 just hours before game seven of the NBA finals raphael Stone just pulled off the heist of the decade kevin Durant to Houston no Alper and Shenun no Aean Thompson no Jamari Smith the Rockets just got a Hall of Famer for spare parts and kept everything that mattered and within hours Vegas moved them to the second best title odds in the entire league so yeah the NBA has a Houston Rockets problem the steel the pass ahead to Thompson for the Ram let me paint you a picture of frustration the 2024-25 Houston Rocket 52 wins second seed in the West fourth best defense in the entire NBA and an offense that made their own fans want to throw things at the TV defensive rating 110.8 fourth in the NBA offensive rating 115.3 13th in the NBA three-point percentage 35.3 21st in the NBA that’s not a typo the Rockets were the 21st best three-point shooting team in the league where if you can’t shoot threes you can’t win championships they were dead last dead last in two-point assist percentage at 44% you know what that means it means nobody was creating shots for anybody else it was hero ball without any heroes and then came the playoffs sweet Mercy the playoffs jaylen Green their supposed franchise player averaged 13.3 points on 30% shooting against the Warriors don’t play around pulling back jaylen Green over post and reached out he had one good game one a 38-point explosion in game two and then nothing the Rockets went 0 and3 in clutch games 0 and three when it mattered most their clutch time offensive rating 91 91 that’s not basketball that’s a cry for help rockets assist per game 23.8 28th in the NBA assist to turnover ratio 1.95 20th in the NBA 3-point assist percentage 78.9% 26th in the NBA the ball stuck like it had super glue on it fred Van Vleet shot 34.5% from deep not exactly what you want from your starting point guard dylan Brooks hit 39% in the regular season but when the playoffs came along dropped to 34% aaron Holiday was their most consistent shooter and he played only 12 minutes a game think about that in 2025 in the modern NBA the Rockets couldn’t find a single high volume shooter who could hit threes when it mattered but here’s what made it even worse they were historically bad at certain aspects of offense they ranked 22nd in points per play on their first attempt to score outside of transition only the Orlando Magic were worse among playoff team orlando the team that lost 4-1 to Boston and it wasn’t just the stats watch any Rockets fourth quarter from last season the offense devolved in two as Green misses offensive rebound Thompson to Van Bleet another Shenun posts up gets doubled kicks out nobody can shoot so they swing it around the perimeter shot clock at five someone forces a contested jumper brick rinse repeat lose udoka had built a defensive fortress but what good is holding teams to 105 points if you can only score 104 the Rockets lost 15 games by five points or less 15 that’s not bad luck that’s bad offense so what do you do when your young core can defend but can’t score you go get one of the five greatest scorers who ever lived here’s what makes this trade absolutely criminal the Rockets gave up Jaylen Green an inconsistent scorer who just got exposed in the playoffs dylan Brooks shot 39% from three in the regular season but created to 34% in the playoffs and then the 10th pick in 2025 and five second rounders that’s it that’s the hall for Kevin Durant now look at what they kept alfred Shenun 22-year-old allstar amen Thompson 21-year-old defensive savant tari Een 23 energy off the bench jabari Smith 21 improving two-way player cam Whitmore 20 athletic freak reed Shepard 19 a rookie sharpshooter phoenix’s 2027 unprotected first phoenix’s 2029 unprotected first and then the best of Suns Nets and Mavs 2029 pick they kept everyone that matters everyone espn gave them a B+ cbs Sports straight A yahoo called it a rare win-win and said the Rockets didn’t relinquish any of the best stuff when was the last time you saw a universal agreement on a superstar trade never that’s when the timing was perfect phoenix just went 36 and 46 they missed the playoffs with Durant Booker and Beal their owner was furious their luxury tax bill was astronomical they needed an out and Houston gave them one let’s talk about the Phoenix disaster for a second because it explains why Houston got this deal the Suns paid $400 million in salary and luxury tax for 36 wins they had three max players who couldn’t stay healthy at the same time bradley Beal played 48 games booker missed 20 they had no depth no draft picks and no flexibility matt Ishbar bought the team and immediately went allin he traded for Beal he gave up everything for Durant and what did he get the most expensive mediocre team in NBA history so when Raphael Stone called and offered a reset button Phoenix smashed that thing like their season depended on it because it did now let’s be real about what Houston gave up jaylen Green has talent he really does career averages of 20 points per game can get to the rim has bounce but is also inconsistent inefficient terrible in big moments and making $33 million a year over the next 3 years the Rocket sold on high potential and bought proven production that’s NBA level asset management but here’s the chess move nobody’s talking about durant’s contract he’s only got one year left at 53 million that’s it one year the Rockets get to test drive a Hall of Famer without any long-term commitments if it works they can extend him or let him walk and use that cap space for when Shenun and Thompson are entering their prime that’s not luck that’s not coincidence that’s Raphael Stone playing 4D chess while everyone else is playing checker but wait KD is 36 years old isn’t this risky let me show you why Father Time hasn’t caught this man yet kevin Durant at 36 years old 26.6 and six points per game sixth in the NBA 52.7% from the field 43% from three 83.9% from the line six rebounds and 4.2 assists per game 13 double double this season finds Durant finds a shot finds the bottom those aren’t still pretty good for an old guy numbers those are elite numbers durant has now averaged 25 plus points on 50 40 and 80 shooting for three straight seasons that’s the longest streak in NBA history not Jordan not LeBron not Kobe Kevin Durant among players with a 28% plus usage rate only Nicola Joic had a higher true shooting percentage than Durant’s 642 jaylen Green’s true shooting percentage.544 that’s the difference between elite and average that’s the difference between winning and losing but let’s go deeper than stats let’s talk about fit because that’s what makes this terrifying for the rest of the league the Rockets run a motion offense that requires spacing quick decision-m offball movement clutch shotmaking and KD fits the bill for everything it’s like Yodoka drew up his dream player on a whiteboard and the basketball gods delivered Kevin Durant picture these lineups the death lineup fred Van Vleet Kevin Durant Amin Thompson Jabari Smith Jr Alper and Shangun that’s switchable two through five that’s elite defense with elite offense that’s a championship lineup then there’s a small ball lightning lineup van Vleet Reed Shepard Durant Amen Thompson Jabari Smith Jr five guys who can shoot five guys who can switch good luck scoring on that good luck stopping that then there’s the Twin Towers 2.0 amen Thompson Durant Tari Een Jabari Smith Jr and then ShenGun that’s 67 611 68 611 611 lineup they could literally touch the ceiling of the Toyota Center holding hands add Steven Adams to that shesh but here’s what really matters durant’s shot distribution last season 31% of shots at the rim converted 73% 39% of shots from mid-range converted 51% 30% of shots from three converted 43% [Music] durant lines it up rainbow connection he’s elite from every single spot on the floor you can’t pack the paint because he’ll drain threes you can’t close out hard because he’ll drive by you you can’t give him space because that mid-range is automatic remember how teams defended the Rockets last year they pack the paint dare them to shoot and watch them brick their way to losses try that with Kevin Durant on the floor i dare you and that connection with Odoka they go way back brooklyn Team USA there’s trust there there’s understanding udoka just signed a multi-year extension he’s not going anywhere neither is KD plus Durant played 62 games last year he played 75 the year before the durability concerns overblown his game isn’t built on athleticism anymore it’s built on being 7 feet tall with a pure jump shot and knowing exactly where to be those things don’t age but here’s the secret source durant’s impact on the young guys devin Booker became an AllNBA player playing with KD nick Claxton became a defensive anchor cam Thompson became a 20 point per game scorer now imagine what he’ll do for Amen Thompson Jabari Smith Jr Alpan Shamgun and Cam Whitmore these kids are about to get a master class from one of the five greatest scorers in NBA history every single day the Rockets went from having zero reliable clutch scorers to having one of the greatest clutch players ever thompson sideep they went from 21st in three-point shooting to having a 43% sniper they went from a young team with potential to we’re coming for everyone so what does some of the smartest basketball minds on the planet think about all of this let’s ask Magic Johnson when Magic Johnson speaks you listen five rings three MVPs one of the greatest point guards ever and here’s what he said two-time NBA champion and future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant being traded to Houston will make the Rockets one of the favorites in the West next season not they’ll be good if not they’ll make the playoffs favorites in the West vegas agreed immediately the Rockets jumped to plus 750 to win the title second best odds in the entire NBA let me put that into perspective before the trade there were plus 3500 14th best odds after the trade there are plus 750 second best odds that’s not an adjustment that’s a seismic shift the betting market where people put real money on the line said this team can win it all think about the landscape thunder just won the final but now everyone’s gunning for them warriors aging core steph is 37 lakers LeBron 40 they have Luca but still lack depth clippers kawhai’s knees are held together with prayers nuggets joic is incredible but has no consistent number two but the Rockets they’ve got elite defense elite shooting now KD fixes everything young legs average age under 25 even with KD playoff experience KD’s two finals MVPs cap flexibility future assets all part of this run into Adams Thompson this reminds me of three legendary trades lakers getting power gassol a young Kobe plus veteran big equal two championship the Celtics forming the big three pierce plus KG plus Allen was an immediate title the Warriors getting KD a 73 win team plus KD unstoppable the difference the Rockets kept all their young talent they’re building for now and later let’s run through the potential playoff matchups burst the Thunder the defending champs with a similar blueprint young athletic defensive-minded core now with elite scoring it’s a mirror match the Nuggets can switch everything on Joic and Denver’s lack of depth gets exposed over seven games the Warriors KD revenge game yes please the Lakers young legs verse aging LeBron and Lucas still learning a new system this isn’t about competing in 2 or 3 years anymore this is about right now the Rockets went from spooky to scary to legitimate title threat in one trade and here’s the kicker they’re only going to get better look at these development trajectories shenun from 12.2 points per game as a rookie to over 19 points per game last year amen Thompson shot 34% from three in the GLeague now working with KD daily jabari Smith 31% from three as a rookie 36% last year trending up these kids are still growing what happens when you add Kevin Durant’s mentorship to that young talent what happens when these kids learn from a Hall of Famer who’s been there done that and has the rings to prove it the championship window isn’t one or two years it’s five plus years even when KD retires or declines you’ve got Shenun entering his prime at 26 Thompson at 25 Smith at 25 Whitmore at 24 plus whatever those Phoenix picks become that’s not a rental that’s a dynasty in the making so does the NBA have a Houston Rockets problem you’re damn right it does but this isn’t a problem like “Oh no another super team.” This is a problem like “Holy hell they built this the right way they didn’t gut their roster they didn’t mortgage their future they didn’t panic and overpay they waited they’ve developed they struck when the iron was hot and now they’ve got Kevin Durant surrounded by hungry young talent that’s only going to get better.” And then Thompson this time with the defensive play now finds Jay Green oh my goodness did it the league laughed when the Rockets were tanking they said trust the process was a joke they said Houston would be bad for a decade well the joke’s on them now so what do you think can the Rockets win at all can anyone stop KD and this young core drop your prediction in the comments and if you want more NBA breakdowns like this you know what to do hit that subscribe button and notification bell because trust me this next season is going to be wild

The NBA landscape has been flipped upside down—Kevin Durant is now a Houston Rocket. In this video, we break down the blockbuster trade that sent KD to Houston in exchange for Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks, and what this seismic shift means for the rest of the league.

Durant joining a rising Rockets squad creates an immediate championship contender in the Western Conference. With veteran leadership, elite scoring, and playoff experience, KD gives Houston the superstar edge they were missing. Paired with Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, and a deep supporting cast, the Rockets are suddenly terrifying on both ends of the floor.

This trade signals a clear win-now move from the Rockets’ front office—and potentially the beginning of a new superteam era in Houston.

If you’re following the 2025 NBA season, this is a must-watch!

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