WATCH: Why Kevin Durant is a natural fit to elevate Rockets to championship contention
Following the trade to acquire 14-time All-Star forward Kevin Durant, the Houston Rockets have officially stamped themselves as championship contenders. You don't make an aggressive move for a future Hall of Famer, sending away two key starters, unless you believe an NBA Finals run is within your grasp.
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On paper, the Durant addition in Houston addresses several offensive issues that arose last season, deficiencies that ultimately led to their postseason demise. Behind the scenes, Houston's coaching staff has committed to improving their offense this offseason in areas such as spacing and isolation efficiency, factors where Durant has been elite for nearly two decades.
The Rockets, who finished last season ranked just 22nd in halfcourt offensive efficiency (according to Synergy tracking data), are a natural fit for Durant's three-level scoring, premier shooting and underrated playmaking. Even at age 36 in his 17th season, Durant was the driving force of a Phoenix Suns team that ranked in the top 10 in half-court scoring efficiency. Durant has also been a prolific floor spacer since the moment he graced an NBA court, which should be an immediate lift to a team that is expected to dive more into their double-big lineups with Alperen Şengün and Steven Adams.
Houston's equal-opportunity offense under Udoka last season was designed to highlight the strengths of its pieces. In reality, it was a mask for the lack of a premier, go-to option. Oftentimes, there wasn't much player or ball movement, which created a less-than-desirable on-court product. Houston relied far too much on transition play and second-chance opportunities last season.
Now that they can pair Durant's skillset with that of Şengün, Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson and more, there's a real opportunity for the Rockets to be a creative, free-flowing offense.
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