The Houston Rockets Have No Chance At Signing Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant will hit free agency in July, and the Houston Rockets are least likely to sign him.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have hit a rough patch in the season. Since the All-Star break, the Thunder has played under .500 recording a 3-6 record.

With every loss, the rumors about Kevin Durant’s free agency becomes more frequent by the day. When the free agency market opens up in July, it is without a doubt every team in the league will enter the “Durantula Sweepstakes.” Perhaps, Durant will have more teams knocking on his door than LeBron James in 2010.

Among many teams who are hoping to sign the 27-year old are the Houston Rockets. Over the past few months Houston has made it clear that signing Durant will be one of their primary goals this summer. Although it would be nice to see him teaming up with James Harden and Dwight Howard, the Rockets may have the least likely chance of acquiring the former MVP.

Honestly speaking, it is hard to imagine Durant leaving OKC for any team. He has proven his loyalty to the city as well as created the best one-two punch in the league alongside Russell Westbrook. However, if he does leave, the Rockets seems like an unrealistic destination. Before umping on this theory consider how much Houston have going against them.

If Durant brought his talents to Clutch City, there is a high possibility that Houston’s team chemistry would be at its worst. Everyone wants to be Michael Jackson, but no one wants to sacrifice to become Jermaine Jackson.

Sure, it worked for Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh in Miami, but there are some doubts Durant, Harden, and Howard would make the same sacrifices. If Durant were to sign in Houston, the Rockets would likely have more confrontation with their three superstars.

One can argue that the bearded one and K.D. made a great duo in OKC, but Harden is no longer considered the “League’s Best Sixth Man.” Playing second fiddle to Durant will not be as easy as it was during his first three years in the league. Harden has evolved into one of the top players in the Association, and Houston is his city.

With only one ball to share, Durant and Harden would have to sacrifice their touches in order to win. Safe to say when healthy Durant is the better player, so, unfortunately, Harden will no longer be Houston’s go-to man.

Oh, and do not forget the Rockets’ will still have to find a way to get Dwight Howard his touches. Howard has a history of not playing defense when he is not getting enough touches on the offensive end. So if he wants to reestablish himself as an offensive player, Howard may want to reconsider joining forces with another dynamic scorer. 

Realistically, there are only three teams that have the best chances of signing Durant.

With only a month before the Kobe Bryant era ends, the Lakers will make one of the strongest pitches to Durant. Playing alongside Jordan Clarkson and D’Angelo Russell, the Lakers would instantly become a playoff team again. However, what would separate the Lakers from the Rockets are their market sizes. Houston has a nice size market, but it does not compare to Los Angeles.

The Boston Celtics is another team who has a greater chance of signing Durant before the Rockets. Playing in Boston would allow Durant a chance to play with an elite pass-first point guard, and not another ball dominant player like James Harden or Russell Westbrook. Durant is already a great player, but playing alongside Isaiah Thomas would elevate his game to another level.

The team with the best chance to steal the All-Star away from the Thunder are the Washington Wizards. Not only can Durant play with an elite pass-first point guard in John Wall, but have a chance to play in his hometown.

I would love to see a big three of Durant, Harden, and Howard as much as the next Rockets fan. Unfortunately, this move seems far from reality. However, the Rockets do not need to sign a marquee free agent to compete with the best in the league.

With roughly $12.64 million to spend this summer, the Rockets should use that money to bring in additional veteran players that have the ability to help them conquer their two major weaknesses: perimeter defense and rebounding. Besides, the Rockets should be more worried about keeping their current All-Star pair together as Dwight Howard prepares to explore the market. And as awful as this season has been, the Rockets should feel lucky to sign anyone this summer.

Next: Choke City 2.0?

Space City Scoop is always looking to add new talent to our writing team. Currently we’re looking for individuals with a specialized focus. The first area of focus is perfect for someone who is constantly surfing the web for breaking news on injuries, trades, insider info etc. This individual would select the top news items and provide timely quick hits to keep SCS readers in the loop.

The other area of focus is someone who possesses a strong social media background who likes to interact with Clutch City Fans. You’ll promote SCS team content on facebook and twitter while also making sure to promote the best content coming from H-Town fans. If you have this capability and are interested check out this link and fill out an application.