Kevin Durant Explains Why He's Not Thinking About NBA Retirement Entering Rockets' 2026-27 Season

As he approaches his 19th season in the NBA, retirement is not at the forefront of Kevin Durant's mind.

"I'm not thinking about anything like that," the Houston Rockets star said, per The Athletic's William Guillory. "I'm enjoying coming into work every day. It's been fun going through the process with everybody. I'm just taking it a game at a time. That's the most I can do. Who knows what'll happen down the line in the future. Right now, I enjoy showing up for work."

There's a lot of tread on the tires with Durant. His 51,011 career minutes between the regular season and playoffs are second among active players to only LeBron James.

The 37-year-old continue to play at a high level in 2025-26, though. He averaged 26.0 points on 52.0 percent shooting, including 41.3 percent on three-pointers.

Like James, KD can't carry his team or impact a game on both ends of the floor like he used to in his peak. But the offensive numbers speak for themselves. He remains a top-15 talent in the NBA.

Durant has achieved everything he can on the court, and his legacy is pretty much cemented. Even if he goes on to win a title with the Rockets, it's unlikely to move the needle much with his supporters or detractors.

Because of that, it wouldn't come as a shock if the 16-time All-Star said something to the effect that this could be his farewell season.

Given both his performance level and a $46.1 million player option for 2027-28, fans can assume Durant will keep going for at least another few years.