Dreaded Kevin Durant truth has followed him onto the Rockets

Kevin Durant came to the Rockets last summer with hopes of greener pastures, but has instead found yet another team with structural flaws. It's been a common occurrence for Durant, who has swapped teams constantly since leaving the Warriors in 2019. Since then, he's been on three different teams and his repeated team-hopping has made it harder for any organization to contend with him.

Kevin Durant has hurt his own legacy by switching teams so often

Throughout all this time, Durant himself has continued to be remarkably consistent. Even this season, he's averaging an efficient 26 points per game at age 37 - a feat rarely matched in NBA history. The Rockets themselves have no regrets about the trade to acquire Durant, but his personal brand has taken a hit for it.

By changing teams often, Durant makes it harder for his teams to obtain and nourish promising young talent. When a front office chooses to inject Durant into an existing core, it can throw off expectations and timelines. The Rockets are a perfect example, since they were probably better off developing their young guys for another couple seasons than trading for Durant and hoping to compete for a title right away.

The on-court production has always been great for KD, no matter where he goes. Even last season, his worst from a team-record perspective since his early days in Seattle, Durant averaged nearly 27 points per game on bonkers efficiency. And Durant has been known to be a great additive piece for a team with an existing championship ecosystem, proven by his time in Golden State.

Durant would be better off sticking with one team

But at this point in his career, Durant would be hard-pressed to find another ideal situation like the Warriors from 2016-2019. They already had a team that could win a title without him, but he was able to elevate them to unbeatable levels when he joined. However, a team with that level of dominance doesn't really exist in today's NBA because of changing cap structures.

It's extremely difficult for a team in today's league to be that dominant and have the cap space to sign Durant. However, if he sticks with a team for an extended period, they can plan around him and build a great team capable of deep playoff runs. When general managers can execute a long-term vision over multiple years, they are more likely to succeed than rushing to put together a coherent roster in one summer.

Durant's impatience with his teams in recent years is understandable considering his age. But riding it out with one team rather than constantly trying to find the next great thing could be his best option at this point.