Houston Rockets
The biggest storyline if Kevin Durant were to make his way to the Rockets is that he would reunite with James Harden. There is also the factor of Dwight Howard who would be a better defensive presence than he currently has on the Thunder.
Unfortunately, the Harden that has become the star of the Rockets is very different than the one who gelled with Durant on the Thunder. Harden is a player who needs the ball in his hands and has struggled to improve on the defensive end.
More from Sir Charles In Charge
- LeBron James working to assemble super team for USA Basketball in 2024
- Dillon Brooks proved his value to Houston Rockets in the 2023 FIBA World Cup
- NBA Trade Rumors: 1 Player from each team most likely to be traded in-season
- Golden State Warriors: Buy or sell Chris Paul being a day 1 starter
- Does Christian Wood make the Los Angeles Lakers a legit contender?
Adding Durant would make any team better, but if Harden does not get as many touches then it would cancel out the perceived advantages of combining the two in the first place.
There are also the intangible disadvantages with Howard. Most glaringly, the ability to exploit him at the free throw line.
Recently, talks about trading Howard have stalled. While he remains a starting caliber center in the NBA, the league’s transition to small ball has left a player like Howard out of sorts. Added into that, he has been usurped as the best center in the NBA due to the rise of players like DeMarcus Cousins.
What that has meant for the Rockets is that Howard has a high price-tag that teams in the NBA aren’t willing to pay for.
As a unit, the Rockets have shown that they have failed to create the championship caliber chemistry that is necessary to overcome the Spurs and Warriors in seven games. There is also the fact that their talent just may not be enough to compete with the aforementioned teams.
Durant and Harden may enjoy playing on the same team again, but the Rockets haven’t shown that the pairing would equal a winning season.
Next: Can the Wizards Pull Durant Out of The Hat?