Kevin Durant joins Houston Rockets in blockbuster trade, boosting title hopes

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Last season: 52-30, lost to Golden State in first round of playoffs.

COACH: Ime Udoka (third season with Rockets, fourth season overall, 144-102).

SEASON OPENER: Oct. 21 at Oklahoma City.

DEPARTURES: G Jalen Green, F Dillon Brooks, F Cam Whitmore.

ADDITIONS: F Kevin Durant, F Dorian Finney-Smith, C Clint Capela, F Josh Okogie.

BetMGM championship odds: 16-1.

The Rockets had the second-best record in the Western Conference last season to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2020. But a first-round loss to the Golden State Warriors sent Houston home early before a major offseason roster shake-up. A blockbuster trade for superstar Durant sent Green, the No. 2 pick in 2021, and Brooks to Phoenix and immediately boosted the team’s chances of contending for its first title since back-to-back championships in 1994-95.

The good: Durant remains one of the NBA’s top players despite recently celebrating his 37th birthday. Adding the 15-time All-Star to a team stocked with young talent should take the Rockets to another level this season. Center Alperen Sengun has already established himself as a solid NBA player at 23 and looks particularly sharp this year after spending the summer leading Turkey to the FIBA EuroBasket final. Also look for forward Amen Thompson, the No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft, to take another step in his third year after last year’s breakout season when he was voted to the NBA’s All-Defensive first team.

The not-so-good: Starting point guard Fred VanVleet is out for the season after tearing his ACL just before camp. The Rockets could use different lineup configurations with VanVleet out, including moving the 6-foot-7 Thompson to point guard to make a big starting five that will include 6-11 Durant at power forward and Sengun, who is also 6-11, along with 6-10 power forward Jabari Smith Jr. and 6-8 forward Tari Eason. Even if they employ this starting lineup, they’ll need point guard Reed Sheppard, who was the No. 3 pick in 2024, to improve this season to help make up for the loss of VanVleet after the former Kentucky standout played only sparingly last season.

All eyes will be on Durant as he chases his third NBA title and first since 2018 with Golden State. He didn’t show any signs of slowing down last season, when he averaged 26.6 points, six rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Suns. Thompson has already established himself as a force on defense, but the Rockets are looking for him to take his offense up a notch after he averaged 14.1 points last season.

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