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<\/p>\nThe 2025-26 NBA season is here! We’re rolling out our previews \u2014 examining the biggest questions, best- and worst-case scenarios, and win projections for all 30 franchises \u2014 from the still-rebuilding teams to the true title contenders.<\/p>\n
2024-25 finish<\/p>\n
Record: 52-30 (second in West, lost to the Warriors in the first round)<\/p>\n
Offseason moves<\/p>\n
Additions: Kevin Durant, Dorian Finney-Smith, Clint Capela<\/p>\n
Subtractions: Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Jock Landale<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kevin Durant joins his fifth franchise at age 37. (Stefan Milic\/Yahoo Sports Illustration)<\/p>\n
The Big Question: Was Houston\u2019s offseason gamble worth it?<\/p>\n
When the Rockets acquired Kevin Durant over the summer, the on-paper fit seemed exquisite. Houston\u2019s half-court playoff struggles against an experienced Golden State unit boiled down to a glaring lack of a bona fide go-to scorer, a supreme spacer and an alpha male. Adding Durant (who represents all of the aforementioned qualities) to the group, even at the cost of two starters, was a no-brainer move for general manager Rafael Stone.<\/p>\n
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Last week\u2019s preseason debut for Durant \u2014 an efficient 20-point night on 7-for-10 shooting in 23 minutes \u2014 was a reminder of the sheer quality the 14-time All-Star brings any time he laces his sneakers up. It was apparent that this was the first real game Durant was playing with his new teammates, but he linked up well with Alperen \u015eeng\u00fcn and provided a safety valve for Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard as they continue to develop chemistry together. Head coach Ime Udoka, notorious for his phlegmatic postgame pressers, almost ran out of complimentary words for the future Hall of Famer.<\/p>\n
[High Score is a new way to play Fantasy Basketball on Yahoo with simple rosters and scoring. Create or join a league<\/a>]<\/p>\n “Consistent scoring threat,” Udoka said. “Finisher, closer, however you want to put it. We know what he does, he’s done it his whole career so it will be a benefit for us. That was the driving force [to acquire him].”<\/p>\n But how long can Durant stay healthy? In a perfect world, we would have the luxury of watching our superstars every night, every week, over an 82-game season. That unfortunately hasn\u2019t been the case with Durant, who has played 70 games or more only once in the past five years. It\u2019s a laundry list of injuries over the years \u2014 Achilles tear, hamstring strain, MCL sprain in both knees and nagging ankle issues \u2014 that forces us to reconcile with the harsh realities of the basketball gods. Just a few weeks ago, the Rockets lost starting point guard Fred VanVleet<\/a> for the season with a torn right ACL, which threw their playmaking plans into disarray.<\/p>\n Durant is an experienced (and somehow underrated) secondary creator who in theory can work alongside \u015eeng\u00fcn in the half-court, and Houston is still trying to aid Sheppard’s and Thompson\u2019s growth as distributors as well. Udoka is using the remainder of the preseason as a dress rehearsal for their season opener against the champs, but the various lineup combinations deployed already suggest that Durant may be shouldering more playmaking load than he had anticipated.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n For better or for worse, this is the group this front office is married to for the next few years. Houston\u2019s cap sheet is a bit rigid now, thanks to extensions for key members of its core \u2014 and Durant and Tari Eason are still unsigned at the time of this writing. There\u2019s also the overarching theme of Houston\u2019s new two-timeline approach, juxtaposed with chasing Oklahoma City (and Denver, to a lesser degree). The move for Durant firmly established the Rockets\u2019 aim to win and develop now, but is that enough to compete with the reigning champs? Oklahoma City\u2019s unprecedented Finals run highlighted the importance of depth and versatility. Houston, with Durant under center, now has the same goals and believes it has comparable talent.<\/p>\n [Get more Rockets news: Houston team feed<\/a>]<\/p>\n All things considered, this was the best time to acquire Durant. Houston\u2019s spacing issues were jarring last season, finishing 20th in 3-point attempts, 22nd in 3-point makes and 21st in 3-point percentage \u2014 and now has one of the greatest shooters of all time. Defensively, Durant\u2019s length and smarts are enough to maintain Udoka\u2019s aggressive scheme, allowing the 37-year-old to fixate on weaker offensive opposition in man defense and roam in zone. The Rockets\u2019 desperation for a title would see them make this move a hundred times over, no matter the circumstances. Durant\u2019s availability, and his ability to raise Houston\u2019s ceiling, will be the deciding factors in 2025-26.<\/p>\n Best-case scenario<\/p>\n \u015eeng\u00fcn takes \u201cThe Leap.\u201d The Turkish big man has worked tirelessly this summer, working on becoming more comfortable around the perimeter, and gives the Rockets an additional weapon in the half-court. Houston\u2019s next-man up point guard approach isn\u2019t Thompson, Sheppard or even Durant with all due respect. It\u2019s \u015eeng\u00fcn as a half-court hub. The Nikola Joki\u0107 comparisons become less of a faint possibility and more of a reality. The tandem with Durant \u2014 along with improvement from Thompson, Smith, Eason, and Sheppard \u2014 carries the Rockets all the way to the NBA Finals in June.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n If everything falls apart<\/p>\n The Durant adjustment takes longer than expected, causing a negative trickle-down effect. Houston\u2019s half-court woes become exacerbated with Durant attempting to establish himself as the lead dog at the expense of Thompson and \u015eeng\u00fcn. The Rockets\u2019 lack of a true point guard continues to punish them through December, when they are forced to look for outside help at the cost of a key piece. Their talent is enough to get them to the playoffs, but a swift first-round exit has management reevaluating everything.<\/p>\n Alternatively, Durant missing a significant amount of time puts Houston\u2019s spacing issues back at square one. Opposing teams now have enough film and data on Udoka\u2019s double-big lineups and can use their perceived strength as a glaring weakness.<\/p>\n 2025-26 schedule<\/p>\n Season opener: Oct. 21 at Oklahoma City<\/p>\n The Rockets won 52 games last season in a crowded conference, but most of their underlying stats painted them as a traditional sixth or seventh 47-ish wins team. Durant is about as good of a Band-Aid as there is, but at least seven of the eight playoff and play-in teams Houston finished above improved this offseason as well. Getting to 53 or 54 wins, especially without VanVleet, would be a huge accomplishment.<\/p>\n More season previews<\/p>\n East: Atlanta Hawks<\/a> \u2022 Boston Celtics<\/a> \u2022 Brooklyn Nets<\/a> \u2022 Charlotte Hornets<\/a> \u2022 Chicago Bulls<\/a> \u2022 Cleveland Cavaliers \u2022 Detroit Pistons<\/a> \u2022 Indiana Pacers<\/a> \u2022 Miami Heat<\/a> \u2022 Milwaukee Bucks<\/a> \u2022 New York Knicks \u2022 Orlando Magic<\/a> \u2022 Philadelphia 76ers<\/a> \u2022 Toronto Raptors<\/a> \u2022 Washington Wizards<\/a><\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n West: Dallas Mavericks<\/a> \u2022 Denver Nuggets \u2022 Golden State Warriors<\/a> \u2022 Houston Rockets<\/a> \u2022 LA Clippers<\/a> \u2022 Los Angeles Lakers<\/a> \u2022 Memphis Grizzlies<\/a> \u2022 Minnesota Timberwolves<\/a> \u2022 New Orleans Pelicans<\/a> \u2022 Oklahoma City Thunder \u2022 Phoenix Suns<\/a> \u2022 Portland Trail Blazers<\/a> \u2022 Sacramento Kings<\/a> \u2022 San Antonio Spurs<\/a> \u2022 Utah Jazz<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The 2025-26 NBA season is here! 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