Kevin Durant Told Rockets He'll 'Fit in Where We See Necessary' After Suns Trade

Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka worked with Kevin Durant as an assistant on the Brooklyn Nets in the 2020-21 season and told reporters Thursday that he'll incorporate some of those plays with the Rockets.

He added, however, that Durant wants to fit in with the current setup.

"Obviously, myself and [Rockets assistant Royal Ivey] were there with him and had a very efficient year there. But at the same time, he's a guy that doesn't want [us] to just lean on him," Udoka said. "He wants to kind of be implemented into the group, and people not take a backseat to him. That's his message to a lot of the young guys. Be who you are, continue to grow in those areas, and I'll fit in where we see necessary."

The Rockets have a fantastic young core, highlighted by Alperen Şengün, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppard. Last year, the Rockets earned the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference Playoffs after a 52-30 regular season but were eliminated in seven games by the Golden State Warriors during the first round.

One of the issues for the Rockets was the lack of a true No. 1 scoring option. The Rockets were defensively sound and had impressive size and athleticism, but when they needed a bucket, they lacked a player capable of consistently finding ways to deliver.

Enter Durant.

"You have a high level scorer that's been doing it for a long time, and any time you add those type of players, efficiency goes up, attention goes up and helps other guys out," Udoka told reporters. "The things that he does on the court, offensively, are seamless. You can fit him into any system. You've seen that wherever he's gone, even the last few years. The efficiency, the numbers at an older age, he's still doing that at a very high level. So he'll fit in seamlessly with our guys. I think the attention that he draws, like I said, will be beneficial to others. And he's a guy you can lean on at times to close games, but a very unselfish player as well with a high IQ." 

Durant will turn 37 ahead of the 2025-26 season, though outside of injuries he's shown little signs of slowing down, averaging 26.6 points, six rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game for the Phoenix Suns last season. He remains one of the NBA's most efficient three-level scorers and is more than capable of generating his own shot as the shot clock ticks down.

The Rockets lacked a player who could efficiently handle that role last season. Durant should address the issue and fit within the team's scheme just fine.