Kevin Durant will play the perfect role when Rockets' monstrous lineup appears

As the Houston Rockets prepare to enter the season, their signing of Clint Capela, and their re-signing of Steven Adams, indicates that they will likely lean even more heavily into the double-big lineup that became infamous toward the end of last season.

Now, as Sam Vecenie points out on the latest episode of The Game Theory Podcast, having Kevin Durant on the roster brings a whole extra layer to this lineup, with his ability to roam between the wing and the corner in a 2-3 zone offense making the double-big look exponentially more dangerous.

At 6'11", Durant is one of the most lethal perimeter shooters in the league, and having him in the double-big lineup could make its spacing and halfcourt offense viable enough that we could see it much, much more this season.

Kevin Durant could make the double-big lineup somehow even more dangerous

Toward the end of last season and into the playoffs, head coach Ime Udoka leaned heavily on the double-big lineup, featuring Adams and Alperen Sengun on the court together, in order to help the team control the possession battle through dominating the boards on both ends of the court.

Vecenie, in speaking about the viability of the lineup this season, pointed out that Durant will play a special role when it appears: "When you run that 2-3 [zone], the corner man has to be responsible for the wing and the corner. What's better than having 6'11", with like a 7'5" wingspan, Kevin Durant roaming from the wing to the corner on the weak side?"

Last season, the double-big lineup produced eye-popping results, as Adams and Sengun netted a 32.7-point increase in the team's net rating when they were on the court together.

Yet, a major reason why this lineup was not utilized more was the limited spacing it provided to the offense. With neither Sengun nor Adams being stretch big, the lineup relied upon absolute domination of the paint in order to remain viable.

However, with Durant on the roster, things could look entirely different. Even just with the gravity he provides and the attention he draws from opposing defenses, the spacing could look radically improved in these minutes.

Moreover, Durant is capable of getting his shots up from anywhere on the court, and he shot an even 50% on corner threes last season. He is also capable of getting past the defense with his handle and driving toward the basket, making him an extraordinary threat in this style of offense.

Therefore, with Durant adding a new wrinkle to the possibilities inherent within the double-big lineup, it is quite possible that Udoka could lean into it even more heavily this season.