With Kevin Durant in fold, Rockets to use Fred VanVleet more as facilitator
The Athletic: 'Houston is anticipating a cleaner offense with the addition of Kevin Durant, which will lessen the scoring load on Fred VanVleet and allow him to thrive primarily as a facilitator.'
With All-Star forward Kevin Durant joining the Houston Rockets, one potential benefit throughout the roster is a simplification of roles.
That could include veteran guard Fred VanVleet, who recently agreed to a new contract with the Rockets for the 2025-26 season and perhaps beyond.
'Houston is anticipating a cleaner offense with the addition of Durant, which will lessen the scoring load on VanVleet and allow him to thrive primarily as a facilitator,' The Athletic's Kelly Iko writes.
VanVleet's assists per game dipped from 8.1 in 2023-24, his first season with the Rockets, to 5.6 last season. His 3-point shooting slipped from 38.7% to 34.5%.
A nagging ankle injury didn't help matters, but there were also times — especially in the playoffs — where VanVleet took on a higher scoring burden than the Rockets would have liked. An inefficient halfcourt offense was a recurring theme. Relative to 2023-24, a regression in finishing efficiency by All-Star center Alperen Sengun may have also contributed.
But with Durant in the fold, it could simplify the roles for players such as VanVleet and Sengun, and the hope is for that to lead to cleaner and more efficient results across the board.
More: Shams: Rockets, Fred VanVleet intend to stay together beyond new contract
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC Sports
12 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
2025 NBA Draft: Deni Avdija, Thomas Sorber among the fantasy winners
If the days in the immediate aftermath of the Oklahoma City Thunder winning the NBA Finals are any indication, this will be a busy summer on the trade market. Kevin Durant and Kristaps Porzingis are among those who have already been dealt, and there were also multiple transactions during the draft's first round on Wednesday. With that in mind, Rotoworld writers Raphielle Johnson and Noah Rubin have picked some winners and losers from this week's transactions and draft picks. Fantasy Winners Deni Avdija The immediate focus of many after Portland's decision to trade Anfernee Simons to Boston was on Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, and it makes sense, as they should receive more opportunities to play on the ball. However, Avdija may be the Trail Blazer best equipped to benefit from a fantasy standpoint due to his versatility. After the All-Star break, he was a top-50 player in nine-cat formats, averaging 23.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.4 three-pointers per game. What Portland does with Jerami Grant and Deandre Ayton will merit tracking this summer. Still, it's difficult to envision a scenario where Avdija does not figure prominently in the team's offensive game plan next season. (Johnson) Egor Demin I've been a bit lower on Demin than many others, but even I have to admit that this is a favorable situation for him. Brooklyn is in the early stages of a rebuild and made it a point of emphasis in this draft to add ball handlers. They selected Demin with the No. 8 pick, which means they'll put the ball in his hands early and often on a bad team. He's going to be inefficient in year one, but the 6'9' point guard should provide plenty of points, rebounds and assists. He focused on showcasing his perimeter shooting during workouts, and if that is legit, this is a recipe for an excellent rookie year for Demin. (Rubin) Amen Thompson Thompson was another player whose fantasy value jumped considerably after the All-Star break, as he provided top-25 value in nine-cat formats. The exits of Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks mean there will be less of a logjam on the wings, and the addition of Kevin Durant should result in assist increases for those capable of setting him up. Thompson has only scratched the surface of his potential, and he should continue to progress, even with the Rockets reportedly bringing back starting point guard Fred VanVleet. Amen may not be a top-25 player next season, but he can provide value in all categories except for three-pointers and free-throw percentage. (Johnson) Rasheer Fleming In my mind, Fleming was closer to a lottery pick than a second-round pick. Phoenix had to make a few moves to get him, but I think it'll be worth it. The Suns have a ton of shot creators, and that is probably Fleming's biggest weakness. He's a three-and-D forward with a 7'5' wingspan. What more can you want? Even though he slipped further than he should've, he'll have a chance to play a significant role in year one for a team that will be looking to compete for a postseason spot. I'm not saying I believe they'll get one, but they'll give it their all! (Rubin) Ryan Kalkbrenner With Charlotte trading Mark Williams to the Suns on Wednesday, they had a significant void to address at the center position. The Hornets did that with the 34th overall pick, selecting Kalkbrenner. Projected by some to be a late-first-round pick, the former Creighton standout slipped into the second round. While Kalkbrenner made strides throughout his college career, the defensive end of the floor is where his bread is truly buttered. The first four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year since Patrick Ewing, Kalkbrenner provides elite rim protection. He's in a spot where starting as a rookie will be possible, depending on what the Hornets do in free agency. (Johnson) Thomas Sorber Just to be clear, Sorber isn't a short-term winner. But in the long run, he's in a perfect situation to be a stud, and it could happen sooner than we think. Isaiah Hartenstein has a team option for the 2026-27 season, and if Sorber is progressing the way they want him to, he could fill the Hartenstein role by his second season in the league. It may not be a 30+ minute per game role, but Sorber projects to have a high-impact statset in fantasy basketball. For Georgetown, he provided rebounds and defensive stats, but he was also a pretty good passer for a big and showcased enough shooting touch for me to be intrigued by it. (Rubin) Fantasy Losers Portland's bigs The Trail Blazers shocked many by selecting Yang Hansen with the 16th overall pick on Wednesday. However, this isn't simply about general manager Joe Cronin rolling the dice after trading down five spots. The issue is that Portland will go into free agency with four centers: Yang, 2024 lottery pick Donovan Clingan, Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams. While Clingan's spot should be secure, it's beyond time for Portland to move Ayton (last season's starter when healthy) or Williams, if not both. The feeling heading into February's trade deadline was that the Blazers would move one of the veteran centers, but both remained. The worst-case scenario for Clingan would be for Portland not to do anything this summer, with the logjam limiting his ceiling considerably. (Johnson) Collin Murray-Boyles I really, really liked CMB as a fantasy prospect. I thought he had a chance to be one of the best fantasy rookies next season. Unfortunately, he landed on a team that already has a handful of players that play similar roles that also struggle to shoot the ball. Can CMB and Scottie Barnes coexist on the floor together? I'm not optimistic, and while I still think Murray-Boyles can be a really good fantasy player, the path for that to happen isn't exactly clear at this point. He could've started on most of the other teams that drafted in this range. (Rubin) Isaiah Collier and Keyonte George While Utah technically did not select Walter Clayton Jr. during Wednesday's first round, his arrival will make it three straight years in which the Jazz have added a point guard in the draft. Keyonte George was the choice in 2023, and through two seasons, he's failed to make the starting job his own. Isaiah Collier, last year's first-round pick, leapfrogged George in the pecking order. However, while a solid defender and playmaker, he did not do enough last season to show he's capable of running the show long-term. Adding Clayton to the mix increases the competition for playing time, and the Jazz still have Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson. From a fantasy standpoint, Sexton may be the only one worth the risk, and he may be a player the Jazz look to move at some point. (Johnson) Stephon Castle We've known this was coming for a while, but now it's official. San Antonio selected Dylan Harper with the No. 2 pick, and De'Aaron Fox will be back healthy next season. Castle was awesome as a rookie and still has a bright future ahead of him. However, Fox is ahead of him on the depth chart right now, and it won't take long for Harper to surpass Castle. He should start next season, but he wasn't as productive in an off-ball role. Now, the Spurs have added another player to take touches away from him. Don't be surprised if Castle's production takes a hit in year two. (Rubin) Khaman Maluach Down the line, Maluach has the potential to be a fantasy 'winner.' Unfortunately, Wednesday's events likely hurt the rookie's fantasy value in 2024-25. In addition to drafting Maluach, the Suns acquired Mark Williams from the Hornets. Those decisions were wise based on how bad Phoenix's center rotation was last season. However, Maluach may initially be in a difficult spot regarding playing time. Something that may preserve the rookie's fantasy value is Williams' injury history, as he has not played 50 games or more in any of his three seasons as a pro. (Johnson) Onyeka Okongwu The Hawks gave us a little teaser of what life would be like with Okongwu as a starting center that plays 30+ minutes per game next to Trae Young. It was glorious. Of course, it was all a setup for them to tear our pure, innocent hearts out once again. Sure, it was incredible value for them to trade for Kristaps Porzingis, and they made more excellent moves, yada, yada, yada. I just wanted one full season of Okongwu away from a minutes split. I fear it will never come. I would imagine that Okongwu will still start, but they'll likely both see around 26-28 minutes per game, with a few minutes of shared time on the floor. It's exciting times for Hawks fans. But it's a time of mourning for the Okongwu truthers that still believe. (Rubin)
USA Today
14 minutes ago
- USA Today
Austin Reaves has turned down max contract extension offer from Lakers
Some people think the Los Angeles Lakers should or even need to trade emerging guard Austin Reaves this summer in order to become legitimate championship contenders next season. But it has seemed as if the Lakers would like to keep Reaves, and Reaves has said he wants to be a Laker for life. However, the path to him being a Laker for life has gotten more complicated. He has a player option for the 2026-27 season that he can turn down in order to become a free agent next offseason. Perhaps that is the path he is on, as he reportedly turned down a maximum contract extension offer from the team. Via The Athletic: "League sources told The Athletic that Reaves formally declined a max extension with the Lakers this week that would've paid him $89.2 million over the next four seasons," wrote Dan Woike. "He's about to start the third year of a four-year, $54 million contract he signed as a restricted free agent in 2023 — also the max number he could receive from the Lakers at the time. "He can opt out of that deal and become an unrestricted free agent next summer, when he's expected to command significantly more than the most lucrative extension the Lakers were allowed to offer this summer." Fortunately, Reaves declining that extension doesn't necessarily mean he's considering leaving the Purple and Gold. "The decision, league sources said, wasn't a reflection of Reaves and the Lakers' relationship. Instead, it's almost a foregone conclusion considering the limitations placed on the amount the Lakers were allowed to offer this week. "Reaves' upcoming potential free agency meant his name was floating in and out of rumors on the first day of the NBA Draft. The Lakers have never shown interest in trading Reaves and continue to hold him in high value." Reaves, who went undrafted in 2021 out of the University of Oklahoma, averaged 20.2 points and 5.8 assists a game and arguably played at an All-Star level, which led people to say the Lakers now had a "Big Three" of Reaves, LeBron James and Luka Doncic. The Lakers have steadfastly refused to include Reaves in any trade discussions over the last year or two.
USA Today
29 minutes ago
- USA Today
Draymond Green sees Fred VanVleet, Kevin Durant as good cultural match in Houston
Draymond Green on the pairing of Kevin Durant and Fred VanVleet with the Rockets: 'Certain things that KD doesn't like to do, Fred will do that. In team sports, that's how it's supposed to work.' Warriors veteran Draymond Green has plenty of experience playing alongside Kevin Durant in Golden State, and he's also faced off against Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet in multiple high-leverage, competitive series in the NBA playoffs. With that knowledge, Green envisions the veteran pairing of Durant and VanVleet working well in Houston. From his latest podcast (The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis): Shoutout to Freddy V, he got a new two-year deal to stay with the Rockets. Well deserved, the way I saw him lead that team in the playoffs. They're going to need his leadership. I think with Fred's demeanor and how Fred goes about things, and with KD and how KD goes about things… I think it'll be a good match. Some of the stuff that (Kevin) doesn't want to do, people try to make it an indictment on his character. No. We're all human beings, and we all have strengths and we all have weaknesses. Certain things that KD doesn't like to do, Fred will do that. On a basketball team in team sports, that's how it's supposed to work. So, I think this puts them in a really good position. They're obviously going to be a team to be reckoned with. That team is in a really good position, and I definitely think it (the Durant trade) is an upgrade. Green and the Warriors got the best of the Rockets in the first round of the recently completed 2025 playoffs. But the series went a full seven games, even with (now departed) Jalen Green struggling, and VanVleet was likely Houston's best player. Now, with Durant playing alongside VanVleet in that top-scorer role, the Rockets would seem to be more formidable for any potential rematch. As for the leadership and cultural angles, Green's comments largely mesh with the sentiments of ESPN's Tim MacMahon. On Thursday's First Take, MacMahon said the Rockets simply need Durant to focus on what he does best. That's being an elite scorer and producing at an All-Star level, which he continued to do last season at 36 years old. 'This is not a team that has a leadership void,' MacMahon said in a discussion regarding whether Durant needs to be more of a vocal leader with the Rockets. 'This is a team that has a phenomenal culture. They're tough, they're nasty. They need freaking buckets, and Kevin Durant can supply those in bunches.' In short, the Rockets were 52-30 and No. 2 in the Western Conference in large part because of their leadership and culture. What they needed was simply more shot making to revive a halfcourt offense that largely struggled throughout the 2024-25 season. That's what VanVleet and head coach Ime Udoka want Durant's help with during the 2025-26 campaign, which begins in October. More: ESPN's Tim MacMahon: Buckets, not leadership, is what Houston needs most from Kevin Durant
