Is Kevin Durant Able to be a True Leader for the Houston Rockets?

Despite entering last season with championship ambitions, the Houston Rockets experienced an early postseason exit as they were eliminated in the first round by the Los Angeles Lakers. While an early-season injury to veteran guard Fred VanVleet forced significant structural changes and left the team without a true starting point guard, there were more issues that played a role in their lack of success.

When VanVleet went down, Durant was thrust into a role that stretched beyond his strengths and comfort zone, as he was forced into a leadership position. In addition to carrying a heavy scoring load, Durant was tasked with serving as the primary playmaker down the stretch and acting as the default emotional anchor in the locker room.

On ESPN’s Hoop Collective, insider Tim MacMahon highlighted that these responsibilities put Durant in a position that was not suited to him. There have been many circumstances where Durant has put himself before the team, causing detriments to the chemistry amongst the team.

However, Durant's individual effectiveness is undeniable: two NBA championships, two Finals MVPs, four scoring titles, and 16 All-Star selections. However, his tenure across multiple franchises, including previous stints in Brooklyn and Phoenix, has frequently raised questions about his approach to vocal leadership.

In Houston, the friction reached a high point following a social media burner account controversy that further strained trust within the locker room and exacerbated existing divisions among players.

Last season, he averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game while shooting 52% from the field, 41% from three-point range and 87% from the free-throw line. Durant carried a massive workload as he played 2,840 minutes across 78 games, the second-highest total in the NBA.

That is a lot for a player who just turned 38 years old Durant played the second most minutes in the entire NBA last season, but Houston is set to reduce his minutes going forward, as he does not have to carry the same burden every night. 

Houston has vocalized the intent to manage his minutes more carefully, but Durant recently pushed back, arguing that the Rockets are better when he is on the court. There is no question about Durant’s impact, and reducing his minutes would be in order to keep him healthy for when the team needs him the most.

Durant's lack of willingness to have his minutes reduced is a sign of bad leadership, as he is undermining both the coaches and the rest of his teammates. Instead of believing in the coaches and his teammates, he resisted the idea of playing fewer minutes.

If the Rockets want to be a true contender in the stacked Western Conference, Durant will have to learn how to be a better leader and put trust in his team.