Rockets lineup projection with Kevin Durant: First look at 2025 roster with Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, more

Kevin Durant is a Rocket.

Despite the Suns also being in the Western Conference, they took the best deal presented to them and shipped the star forward to Houston.

For Phoenix, the trade was all about getting younger and looking toward the future. The Suns brought in two solid players in Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks, while also adding key draft capital with a first-round pick this year, and five second-round picks to come. Houston ends up with just Duran in the deal, but the purpose of the deal was to bring in an established star to pair with the young talent that the Rockets have.

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Houston finished second in the Western Conference this season, and bringing in Durant is expected to help them close the gap with Oklahoma City next season. Here is what you need to know about the Rockets’ projected lineup for the 2025-2026 NBA season.

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Rockets 2025 lineup projection

Houston signed head coach Ime Udoka to a long-term contract extension this offseason. After getting the Rockets to a 52-win season and a top-two seed for the first time in seven years, Udoka now gets to tinker with setting a lineup for his team after it acquired the future Hall-of-Famer Durant. 

The only obvious piece is that Durant is going to start. Then, you form the rest of the starting lineup around him. Sengun played in 76 games last season, averaging 19.1 points and 10.3 rebounds. Van Vleet played in 60 games and had 14.1 points, 5.6 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game. 

The biggest missing piece that will be absent from the Rockets is Jalen Green. He led the franchise with 21 points per game, and he was the only player on the team who played in every single regular-season game. Green being traded paves the way for Thompson to see an increased role. He will be heading into his third career season and took a notable step forward in 2024-2025. He played in 69 games, starting 42 of them, and averaged 14.1 points and 8.2 rebounds in 32.2 minutes of work. 

What Kevin Durant brings to the Rockets lineup

Durant is a short-term investment for Houston. He will turn 37 years old ahead of next season, without many more seasons in front of him. Still, he averaged 26.6 points for Houston last season, the sixth-most in the NBA. Durant also averaged six boards and 4.2 assists per game. 

He brings another veteran presence who can help Houston’s young pieces develop. Durant will be the focal point of the offense and will likely help facilitate for his teammates while also being the first priority. He will also reunite with his former Thunder teammate Steven Adams, who both played for Oklahoma City from 2013-2016. 

The move forces Houston to develop its depth. Trading away Green, the team leader in points, and Dillon Brooks, who started 75 games and averaged 31.8 minutes per game, leaves gaping holes for the Rockets to deal with. Also, trading away No. 10 and five second-round picks will stunt the depth for the foreseeable future with Houston.

The addition of Durant will hopefully be the piece that keeps Houston toward the top of the West and helps them close the gap with Oklahoma City next season. 

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