Rockets Notes: Durant, Offseason Plans, Sheppard, Harden
Injuries to Fred VanVleet in September and Steven Adams in the midst of the season affected the Rockets far beyond their on-court contributions, according to Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon of ESPN. With their two veteran leaders not in the lineup, there were fewer buffers against Kevin Durant‘s “moodiness,” which had an effect on the team’s younger players as the season wore on, sources tell the authors.
Durant provided the elite-level scorer that Houston was lacking during last year’s playoff appearance and was the team’s top player throughout the season, averaging 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 78 games. However, the fit behind the scenes became “increasingly complex,” according to Shelburne and MacMahon, highlighted by a burner scandal that emerged during the All-Star break.
A Twitter profile reportedly belonging to Durant posted several messages criticizing current teammates Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. along with former teammates Devin Booker and Stephen Curry, as well as Steve Kerr, Durant’s coach during his time with Golden State. Durant called the situation “Twitter nonsense,” but sources tell the authors that the team took the posts seriously and believed Durant was associated with them at the very least. Durant addressed the controversy after the break in “more of a team discussion than a meeting” before moving onto other topics, and a Rockets source told Shelburne and MacMahon that the team moved past it.
“I’ve heard that there were a couple people who were bothered by what he said on the burner account but none of them were in our locker room,” the source said. “I think Kevin might’ve been worried about it being a distraction to the team. But literally no one cared about it. The guys [he] mentioned are not sensitive about stuff said about them online.”
There’s more from Houston:
- The Rockets traded for Durant last summer because his price became low enough that they considered it affordable, not because they’re looking to move on from the young core they assembled over the previous four drafts, Shelburne and MacMahon add. After this year’s first-round exit, there has been speculation that Houston might try to deal for another star such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard or Donovan Mitchell, but a high-ranking team source downplayed that possibility, saying the organization will be “opportunistic” this summer but hopes to follow Oklahoma City’s example and build a long-term contender around its young talent without making a blockbuster trade. “We aren’t thinking, ‘We’ve got to win now because we’re in KD’s window,'” the source said. “We are hyperfocused on our young core. Our five guys have a chance to win a lot of games together for a long time. We don’t want to make the mistake other teams have of giving up on guys too soon. We want a 10-year run.”
- The Rockets remain high on Reed Sheppard‘s long-term potential despite an up-and-down performance in this year’s playoffs, according to the authors. The team believes he could develop into an all-time great point guard in the mold of Steve Nash, which is why he was selected ahead of Stephon Castle in the 2024 draft. There’s less confidence around the league, with one scout comparing Sheppard more to Kerr than Nash.
- There has been mutual interest in a reunion with James Harden several times since he forced his way out of Houston in 2021, and sources tell Shelburne and MacMahon that Harden and his representatives explored a return this season after his Clippers team got off to a 6-21 start. There’s still affection for Harden in the organization, but Rockets officials were concerned that his presence might limit the development of Sengun, Sheppard and Amen Thompson. “We’re not really looking for a heliocentric player, as great as James still is,” a team source said. “We want to develop Reed, we want to develop Amen and we want the ball in Alpy’s hands.”
Rockets Notes: Durant, Eason, Udoka, Stone, Sengun
After falling in seven games last season in the first playoff appearance for their young core, the Rockets traded for Kevin Durant to help them reach a higher level. Their next moves are uncertain following this year’s first-round loss to the short-handed Lakers, according to William Guillory and Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Durant missed almost the entire playoff series, first with a right knee contusion that kept him out of Game 1, then with a left ankle sprain and bone bruise that sidelined him for Games 3 through 6. In his lone appearance, he had 23 points, six rebounds and four assists along with nine turnovers in a Game 2 loss.
Coach Ime Udoka provided an update on Durant prior to Friday’s game, indicating that he wasn’t close to returning, Guillory tweets.
“The mobility is probably the biggest (issue),” Udoka said. “There is some pain. That’s something he’d have to tolerate. … Certain movements are bothering him for sure. He’s done some things on-court, but he’s limited with those. When you can’t do specific movements that hurt you or bother you, you can’t progress.”
The 37-year-old Durant was productive and surprisingly durable during his first season in Houston, leading the team in scoring and finishing second in the league in minutes while playing 78 games. However, Guillory and Amick confirm that allegations Durant trashed current and former teammates – including Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. – while using a burner account in group chats harmed team chemistry.
Several league sources with close ties to Rockets players confirm to the authors that the controversy brought a “significant distraction” to the team that was “never truly resolved internally.” Teammates reportedly agreed to keep their reactions to the situation private, and it’s not clear if Durant admitted that the accounts belonged to him.
Lingering bitterness over that situation is one of several factors that could determine whether Durant remains in Houston next season. At $43.9MM, he’ll be the highest-paid player on a team that’s hovering close to the tax line, and he holds a $46MM player option for 2027/28, so he’ll essentially be entering the season with an expiring contract. Guillory and Amick also cite concerns that the offense stagnated around Durant and Sengun, as teammates were unable to consistently hit shots to give them room to operate.
There’s more from Houston:
- Working out a new contract for restricted free agent Tari Eason will be among the Rockets’ offseason priorities, Guillory and Amick add. They report that the sides came close to an agreement worth more than $100MM before the October deadline, but decided to revisit negotiations this summer. While Eason appears to be a good investment at age 24, the authors point out that the roster is already becoming expensive, and Amen Thompson may sign a five-year extension valued at more than $250MM.
- There are no plans to replace either Udoka or general manager Rafael Stone, sources tell Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports. Ownership still has confidence in the team’s leadership structure, according to Iko, believing that the Rockets aren’t far behind Oklahoma City and San Antonio with Durant, Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams all healthy. However, nothing is off the table in terms of upgrading the roster, Iko adds.
- Sengun, who has been mentioned as a possible trade chip if the Rockets pursue another star, addressed those rumors in a post-game session with the media on Friday, relays Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. “I cannot do anything about those conversations,” Sengun said. “It is what it is. You stay with it. That’s the front office’s job to do it. I cannot do anything about it. But wherever I go or stay over here, I’m just going to stick with it, doing what I’m doing.”
Rockets Notes: Smith, Sheppard, Young Core, Durant
Fourth-year forward Jabari Smith Jr. raised some eyebrows when he said the Rockets were “obviously the better team” ahead of Wednesday’s Game 5 against the Lakers, but he backed up the statement by helping his team stave off elimination again, per Matt Young of The Houston Chronicle.
“It’s just a mindset to have,” said Smith, who had a team-high 22 points, seven rebounds and two blocks while playing solid defense. “I don’t care who we play, I don’t care what team I’m on. When we were winning 22 games (in his rookie season), I would probably have said we were the better team every night. I mean, people are gonna take it how they want to take it, but I don’t care. Whoever I’m with on the court. I’m gonna think that my team is better than the other team.”
The Rockets lost the first three games of the series, blowing a lead late in Game 3. But they now have a chance to even the series at three games apiece on Friday when they return to Houston.
Smith only averaged 20.4 minutes per game in last year’s playoffs, Young notes, but he’s at 42.0 MPG through five games in 2026. The former third overall pick has averaged 19.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG and 1.2 SPG in the series, which he’s hoping to extend further on Friday night.
“You can’t just say it and then come out and tuck your tail,” Smith said of his comment. “You’ve got to get out there fighting and do the things that it takes to win. So, I’m gonna stand on that statement, and we’ve just got to keep proving it.”
We have more from Houston:
- Late-game miscues from Smith and Reed Sheppard contributed to the Rockets’ Game 3 collapse, but Sheppard was more composed with the Lakers attempting another comeback on Wednesday, as Varun Shankar writes for The Houston Chronicle. The second-year guard made some key plays down the stretch, scoring four straight points after the Lakers went on a 11-1 run to get the game within three (Twitter video link). “We didn’t want to let that happen again,” said Sheppard, who played through a cold.
- No matter what happens the rest of the series, young players like Smith, Sheppard, Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Tari Eason have shown significant growth over the past two games, according to William Guillory of The Athletic. The Rockets have held L.A. below 100 points each of the past two contests. “Big-time performances by everybody across the board,” head coach Ime Udoka said Wednesday. “You start this really young lineup, and they are somewhat battle-tested now. (We needed to) show growth in certain moments and progress in certain moments. Obviously, in a game situation when you turn the ball over twice and foul a shooter (in Game 3’s collapse), you want to show growth, and I think we did that tonight.”
- ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Thursday morning that Kevin Durant (left ankle sprain) will remain sidelined for Game 6. The team hasn’t formally ruled him out yet, but he’s listed as doubtful, Guillory tweets, which suggests he’s unlikely to play.
Kevin Durant To Remain Out For Game 6
Kevin Durant will remain sidelined for Friday’s game of the Rockets‘ first-round series vs. the Lakers, Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Thursday’s episode of Get Up (Twitter video link).
Durant has already missed four of five games in the first round. He was inactive for Game 1 due to a tendon bruise in his right knee, returned for Game 2, and has been out for the past three games as a result of a left ankle sprain and bone bruise.
“This bone bruise is a two-week minimum injury,” Charania said. “He’s just over one week right now.”
Despite the absence of their leading scorer, the Rockets have managed to hang around in the first round even after dropping the first three games of the series. They won Game 4 in Houston, then came away with a victory in Los Angeles on Wednesday to earn another home game on Friday.
With Durant joining veterans Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams on the injury report, Houston has been rolling with a starting lineup essentially made up entirely of the team’s young core, as Tari Eason joins Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, and Amen Thompson. That five-man group has a +16.7 net rating in 73 playoff minutes so far; no other Rockets lineup has played more than 24 minutes together in the postseason.
Charania’s assertion that Durant is likely facing a recovery period of at least two weeks suggests that the Rockets shouldn’t count on having him available for a potential Game 7, though it’s safe to assume the two-time Finals MVP will do all he can to try to make it back. The Lakers are also playing shorthanded, with their own top scorer, Luka Doncic, not expected to return from a hamstring strain before the end of the first round.
Rockets’ Kevin Durant Ruled Out For Game 5
Kevin Durant has been ruled out for Game 5 of the Rockets’ first-round series against the Lakers on Wednesday, Law Murray of The Athletic tweets.
Durant has only appeared in one game during the series. The star forward missed the last two games due to a left ankle sprain and bone bruise and didn’t participate in practice with the Rockets on Tuesday before they left for California, according to Kristie Rieken of The Associated Press. He was seen running on an anti-gravity treadmill.
Coach Ime Udoka provided an update on Durant, who missed Game 1 with a right knee injury, before the team headed out.
“We’ll see,” Udoka said. “It is day to day, game to game. But we’ll have to get on the court and do some things, and he didn’t participate in practice today. But he’s doing the conditioning and other aspects to try to get back.”
Durant scored 23 points in 41 minutes during the team’s Game 2 loss. In Game 4, Tari Eason supplied 20 points, eight rebounds and five steals in place of Durant as Houston staved off elimination.
On the Lakers’ side, Austin Reaves is listed as questionable. He hasn’t played in the series due to a left oblique muscle strain but is reportedly optimistic about returning for Game 5.
Lakers-Rockets Notes: LeBron, Ayton, Reaves, Durant, Doncic, Sengun
The Lakers had a chance on Sunday night to become the first team to wrap up a playoff series, but the Rockets avoided a sweep with a 115-96 win on their home court. The game featured an uncharacteristically bad performance from LeBron James, who finished with eight turnovers and 10 points while shooting 2-of-9 from the field, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. James took responsibility for the loss, telling reporters, “It started with me, obviously. My turnovers were unacceptable.”
L.A. lost starting center Deandre Ayton when he was assessed a flagrant foul 2 for hitting Alperen Sengun in the side of the head with his forearm with 5:41 left in the third quarter. It was originally ruled a common foul before being upgraded following a video review, and McMenamin notes that players from both teams disagreed with the decision.
“We both are sweaty guys,” Ayton explained. “[My arm] just slipped off his shoulder. … I’m not no guy who is a dirty player or who plays like that.”
“I don’t want to make the officials crazy, but I mean, I didn’t expect them to eject him to be honest,” Sengun said. “I think it was a little bit soft. … I guess it is what it is, they called it. I’m glad they called it. So, we go from there.”
The game became heated from there with five more technicals being called – three on the Lakers’ Jaxson Hayes, Maxi Kleber and Adou Thiero and two on the Rockets’ Josh Okogie and Aaron Holiday. Thiero and Holiday were both ejected with 1:11 left to play for an ongoing verbal exchange. The trash talk continued after the final buzzer, with several Lakers telling McMenamin that Rockets wing Jae’Sean Tate taunted them and challenged Kleber to a fight.
There’s more on the series:
- Game 5 is set for Wednesday night, and the series could be determined by which stars are able to return. L.A.’s Austin Reaves was listed as questionable for the second straight game while recovering from a Grade 2 left oblique strain, McMenamin adds, but wasn’t used on Sunday. Houston’s Kevin Durant missed his third game of the series, and the second with a bone bruise in his sprained left ankle. Coach Ime Udoka said there’s still a chance that Durant could return at some point in the series, per Will Guillory of The Athletic (Twitter link).
- In a pregame session with reporters, Lakers coach JJ Redick said Luka Doncic is still in the early stages of working his way back from a left hamstring strain, relays Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. “He just continues to do some stuff on the court,” Redick said. “He was able to move today a little bit on the court. Most of the stuff has been standstill. He’s progressing. No update on any timeline or anything like that.”
- With the Rockets in a 3-0 hole, Sengun provided some inspiration with a fiery speech during a players-only talk during Sunday morning’s shootaround, Matt Young of The Houston Chronicle states in a subscriber-only story. Sengun relied on an interpreter when he came to the NBA from Turkey five years ago, but he has become confident in his English skills. “It’s hard, man. It’s hard to talk another language, but I try every day. I don’t give a … if you know what I’m saying,” he said. “At the end of the day, they understand me and I’m happy with that.”
Rockets’ Kevin Durant Expected To Miss Sunday’s Game 4
The Rockets are unlikely to have their leading scorer as they face playoff elimination on Sunday, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that Kevin Durant is expected to be sidelined once again in Game 4.
Durant, who missed Game 1 due to a right knee injury, suffered a left ankle sprain when he returned for Game 2. According to Charania, the 37-year-old forward has a bone bruise in his ankle, which would typically sideline a player for two-to-three weeks during the regular season.
Durant has been receiving constant treatment on his injured ankle and participated in a film session on Sunday morning, but the bone bruise has caused “swelling, stiffness and lack of mobility” in his left ankle, sources tell ESPN.
The 16-time All-Star appeared in 78 regular season games in his first season with Houston in 2025/26, averaging 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 36.4 minutes per contest. He posted an excellent shooting line of .520/.413/.874.
However, the playoffs have been a different story, with Durant now expected to miss his third game in the first-round matchup against the Lakers. Los Angeles currently leads the best-of-seven series three games to zero.
After signing a two-year, $90MM extension in October, Durant will earn a guaranteed $43.9MM in 2026/27, followed by a $46.1MM player option for ’27/28.
Southwest Notes: Durant, Rockets, Fox, Pelicans
Rockets star Kevin Durant is hoping to be ready for Game 4, but his status remains in doubt less than 24 hours before tip-off, Varun Shankar of The Houston Chronicle writes in a subscriber-only story. Durant sat out Friday’s Game 3 loss with a sprained left ankle, and coach Ime Udoka told reporters on Saturday that the swelling has eased but the ankle remains sore.
“Every day that goes by, the likelihood (of Durant playing) goes up,” Udoka said. “But I thought he might be OK (Friday) based on shootaround. And that’s different, going half-speed and ramping it up right before a game, so you really can’t tell, but doing everything he can to get back.”
Many questioned why Durant wasn’t on the Rockets’ bench for Friday’s game, but Udoka explained that he was getting treatments that involve “things you can’t do” on the bench. They included a session on the team’s underwater treadmill.
Udoka added that he didn’t realize Durant’s ankle was bothering him so much during Game 2 until swelling and soreness became evident the next day. Durant also sat out the series opener with an injured right knee, and Udoka said the decision on whether to use him in Sunday’s game won’t be affected by the team’s 3-0 deficit.
“I wouldn’t say for him or us,” Udoka said. “I think when he can get back, he’ll get back. And so it’s different, and you extend it a little bit, possibly, if it’s 2-1, to give him more time, but yeah, if he can play, he will.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Udoka went deep into his bench during the Rockets‘ loss on Friday, giving 11 minutes to little-used Dorian Finney-Smith and nearly eight minutes to 39-year-old center Jeff Green. Per Shankar, Udoka explained that Josh Okogie, who played four minutes, was dealing with back tightness, while Aaron Holiday, who saw five minutes, is experiencing an adductor issue.
- De’Aaron Fox is upset about a technical foul he received in the second quarter of the Spurs‘ win at Portland Friday night, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). It happened when Fox received an offensive foul for hitting Deni Avdija in the mouth with his elbow after releasing a floater. The ruling was overturned after San Antonio challenged it, but Fox still got the technical for arguing. “It was an awful call,” he said. “I mean, don’t play defense with your face. I have a vertical plane that I get to go up. I didn’t throw my elbows out or anything. It was a normal floater.”
- The Pelicans‘ sweeping changes throughout the organization over the past two weeks are part of executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars’ effort to change the culture of a losing franchise, explains Rod Walker of NOLA. Several longtime employees were let go, including some who had been with the team through its entire history in New Orleans. A source tells Walker that some of the positions could be filled in the next few days, but assistant coaches won’t be hired until the process of finding a head coach is complete.
Rockets Notes: Late Collapse, Udoka, Durant, Sengun
The Rockets squandered a six-point regulation lead with less than 30 seconds remaining in Game 3 of their series with the Lakers on Friday night. Houston then lost in overtime to fall behind 3-0 in the first-round matchup. Head coach Ime Udoka let loose on his team afterward.
“Horrendous mistakes,” he said, per Kristie Rieken of The Associated Press. “I don’t know if you want to say youth or scared of the moment or whatever the case.”
With Kevin Durant, Fred VanVleet, and Steven Adams injured and inactive, the Rockets were relying on several players without a ton of playoff experience. However, Udoka didn’t view that as an excuse after his team committed two turnovers and fouled a three-point shooter down the stretch.
“Grow up,” he said. “You’re not that young anymore.”
Here’s more on the Rockets:
- Durant sat out for the second time in the series. The official reason for his latest absence was a left ankle sprain suffered in Game 2. “Obviously, it’s different when he’s not on the floor. He’s a tremendous scorer. He can draw so much attention to himself when he’s out there,” guard Reed Sheppard said, per Will Guillory of The Athletic. “It sucks not having him out there. But at the end of the day, it’s our job to go out there and fight and compete and win. That’s what we’ve got to do in the next four (games).” Durant’s status for Game 4 is undetermined. “Up in the air,” Udoka said. “I think we made some progress in the last few days, but we’ll see how that [goes] with only one day in between.”
- Alperen Sengun‘s monster performance – 33 points and 16 rebounds – was wasted in Game 3. “It wasn’t enough,” he said, per Matt Young of the Houston Chronicle. “I guess I could do more with some defensive possessions, some missed shots still. I still did a good job, but it wasn’t enough, so I’ve got to come back better Sunday.”
- Durant would like to be a part-owner of an NBA or NBA Europe franchise after he retires, according to Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “Sole owner? No. But you can definitely be a part of a group,” Durant said. “I wouldn’t say a player could have full control. (LeBron James), maybe. It has to be one of those types of players. Steph (Curry), ’Bron, myself. It takes players that have been in the league for a while, that have relationships, that are building businesses off the floor. You got to have a lot of capital to buy an NBA team. I’m not banking on it, but I’d love for it to happen.”
Injury Notes: Durant, Reaves, Embiid, Edwards, Gordon
Kevin Durant will miss Game 3 for the Rockets on Friday due to a left ankle sprain, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (via Twitter). Durant had previously been listed as questionable after suiting up for Game 2’s loss. He missed Game 1 due to an unrelated knee injury.
Before the announcement of Durant’s status, head coach Ime Udoka said that if Durant couldn’t play, Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason would fill out the starting five alongside Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, and Jabari Smith Jr., per Yahoo’s Kelly Iko (Twitter link). Sharania notes (via Twitter) that this would be the second-youngest starting lineup in playoff history.
According to The Athletic’s Will Guillory (via Twitter), Udoka said the team is looking at using more small-ball units in Game 3, which could mean that Dorian Finney-Smith sees his first action of the postseason.
On the Lakers’ side of the injury report, guard Austin Reaves has been ruled out as well, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin (Twitter link). Head coach JJ Redick told reporters during his pregame media session that Reaves would go through warm-ups at 5:45 pm local time and that the team would make a decision on his availability at that point (Twitter link via McMenamin).
Reaves, who has been sidelined since April 2 with an oblique injury, has been doing full-contact five-on-five work, Redick said (Twitter link via Dan Woike of The Athletic). It sounds like he’ll have a decent chance to play in Game 4.
We have more injury notes from around the league:
- Joel Embiid is out for the Sixers in Game 3 against the Celtics on Friday, Tim Bontemps writes for ESPN. The star center, who underwent an emergency appendectomy earlier this month, had previously been upgraded to doubtful, but isn’t yet cleared to return. “He’s just not ready,” coach Nick Nurse said pregame. “He’s lifted some, he’s got on court a bit, but we’re still at two weeks and a day, I think. So we’re just not ready yet.”
- Anthony Edwards is not on the injury report for the Timberwolves‘ Game 4 on Saturday, the team announced (via Twitter). He had previously been listed as questionable for each of the first three games of the series due to a knee ailment. “I think it’s definitely still something that we’re managing and he’s managing but all signs are pointing that it is getting better,” coach Chris Finch said when asked about the injury.
- The Nuggets are in must-win territory as they go into Game 4 down 2-1, but they still lack clarity on Aaron Gordon‘s status. According to ESPN’s Anthony Slater (Twitter link), the versatile forward is listed as questionable after doing a walk-through at practice and icing his calf. Gordon missed Game 3 due to calf tightness. Another injured Nuggets wing, Peyton Watson, remains out for Game 4 due to his hamstring strain, Slater adds.