Kevin Durant says the quiet part out loud about playing for the Rockets

As the Houston Rockets prepare to enter the 2025-26 season with superstar acquisition Kevin Durant on their roster, the team will need to build chemistry quickly in order to mount another excellent regular season performance: something that can be rather difficult when a player of Durant's caliber and gravity joins a team.

Yet, according to his comments on the Rockets' Media Day, Durant, at this point in his career, has come to value his relationships within his teams more than external perceptions of his game, and this could be an exceddingly important factor in his ability to gel within Houston's rotation.

Durant, 37, still certainly plays at a superstar level, and, if the team's young core can seamlessly blend around him this season, the Rockets could have one of the most dangerous teams in the league.

Kevin Durant is primarily concerned about building up his relationships on the Rockets

Throughout his career, Durant has not necessarily been viewed positively by fans of organizations he has departed, and, despite his historic effectiveness on offense, has often had his legacy discredited as a result of some of this perception.

Now, as he enters what might be the final location change of his career, Durant is focused on what's ultimately important: "Legacy... the definition of the word has just gotten confusing over the last few years to me, so, to me, it's always just about impacting and building good relationships within the organization."

In making the move for Durant, Houston's front office knew they were providing themselves with something they desperately needed: a superstar-caliber scorer.

In his age 36 season with the Phoenix Suns, Durant averaged 26.6 points, six rebounds and 4.2 assists, shooting a stunning 43% from 3-point range and remaining one of the most effective mid-range shooters in the league.

Yet, what he also brings to Houston is a veteran offensive presence for the team's young core to rally around. Although they had Fred VanVleet last season, his dip in offensive production meant that he could not be fully relied upon in clutch minutes to take the team onto his shoulders.

Therefore, with VanVleet likely out for the season, Durant's role, and his willingness to build relationships and trust with the team's young players, will only become increasingly important as the difficulties of the regular season pile up.

It is good to hear that Durant has his head in the right place entering an organization with a culture they have worked so hard to cultivate, and his statements at Media Day should bring nothing but excitement for fans of the team.