Rockets navigated Kevin Durant tensions amid injuries, still focused on young core

The Rockets dealt with more than injuries this season. The absences of Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams removed two veteran voices from the locker room, and that left less insulation around Kevin Durant as the year unfolded, according to Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

Sources told ESPN that without those buffers, some of Durant’s “moodiness” began to impact younger players over time.

Durant still delivered on the court, averaging 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 78 games. He provided the elite scoring Houston lacked during last year’s playoff run.

Still, the overall fit became “increasingly complex,” per Shelburne and MacMahon.

That included a burner account controversy during All-Star weekend. A social media profile believed to be tied to Durant criticized teammates Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr., along with former teammates and coaches.

Durant dismissed it as “Twitter nonsense,” but team sources told ESPN the situation was taken seriously internally.

Durant addressed the matter with teammates after the break in what was described as more of a discussion than a formal meeting. One team source downplayed any lingering issues.

“I’ve heard that there were a couple people who were bothered,” the source said, per ESPN. “But none of them were in our locker room. Literally no one cared about it.”

Despite a first-round exit, the Rockets are not pivoting. The team acquired Durant last offseason because the cost made sense, not to abandon its long-term plan.

A high-ranking team source told ESPN the organization plans to remain “opportunistic” but is committed to building around its young core rather than chasing another star.

“We are hyperfocused on our young core,” the source said. “We want a 10-year run.”

Houston remains especially high on Reed Sheppard, even after an uneven postseason. The team believes he can grow into a high-level lead guard, though one scout told ESPN he projects closer to Steve Kerr than Steve Nash.

Also, the idea of a reunion with James Harden has surfaced multiple times since his 2021 exit. Sources told ESPN it came up again this season when the Clippers struggled early, but Houston passed, citing concerns about slowing the development of Sengun, Sheppard and Amen Thompson.

“We’re not really looking for a heliocentric player,” a team source said. “We want to develop our guys.”