Kevin Durant trade solves the very issue that ended Rockets' season

The Houston Rockets won 52 games and went to Game 7 with the Golden State Warriors despite not having a reliable No. 1 scoring option. It's a harsh reality that followed Houston throughout the 2024-25 season, as they simply couldn't turn to any one player for consistent isolation production.

Thankfully, the Rockets have resolved the very issue that ended their season by trading for Kevin Durant and making him their new No. 1 scorer.

Green put together a respectable 2024-25 regular season. He led Houston in scoring, posting averages of 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 2.9 three-point field goals made per game while shooting at a clip of .423/.354/.813.

Unfortunately, Green's inefficiency came back to bite him in the end, as he scored fewer than 10 points in four of Houston's seven playoff games, only once exceeding 12.

Green is only 23, which has some questioning if the Rockets gave up on him too soon. Houston also has an All-Star center in Alperen Sengun who has averaged 20.0 points, 9.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.2 steals over the past two seasons, thus implying there's more balance than advertised.

Without a scoring threat who can go toe-to-toe with the NBA's elite, however, the Rockets had a self-imposed ceiling. Durant has instantly changed that fact.

Kevin Durant is the No. 1 scoring option Houston desperately needed

Durant's place in history is safe as one of the greatest scorers to ever pick up a basketball. He's tied for the third-most scoring titles behind only Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain, and has the sixth-highest career scoring average of any NBA or ABA player.

Durant continues to put points on the board at an elite level in his late 30s, averaging 26.6 points and 2.6 three-point field goals made on .527/.430/.839 shooting in 2024-25.

For Houston, Durant's arrival means landing a player who can put the offense on his back when the team needs a bucket. Moreover, it entails addressing three of their greatest flaws: Three-point shooting, midrange inefficiency, and fourth-quarter scoring.

In 2024-25, Houston ranked No. 21 in three-point field goal percentage, No. 27 in field goal percentage from 15-to-19 feet, and No. 27 in field goal percentage during the fourth quarter.

Durant, meanwhile, posted the second-highest three-point field goal percentage of any player who averaged at least 5.0 attempts per game. He was also No. 7 in field goals made from 15-to-19 feet per game, shooting 53.2 percent on said shots—at least 4.5 percent higher than any of the players ahead of him in conversions.

Durant also ranked No. 5 in the NBA in points per fourth quarter, shooting 55.0 percent from the field and 51.9 percent from beyond the arc.

With Durant on the roster, and a deep cast of young players who continue to improve, the Rockets can finally resolve their biggest offensive issues. They have a truly elite No. 1 scoring option who can take over late in games, bury shots from midrange at an all-time clip, and shoot the lights out from distance.

Replacing Dillon Brooks and Green will be easier said than done, but the Rockets have addressed their most limiting weaknesses by acquiring Durant.