Rockets GM offers perfect explanation for Kevin Durant blockbuster

The Houston Rockets traded for Kevin Durant this summer.

You probably knew that already.

So far, it's been the biggest transaction of the NBA offseason. The Rockets changed the landscape of the brutal Western Conference. They're likely to be serious title contenders in 2025-26.

The trade has largely been met with positive reviews. Still, no major decision is without its detractors. Those who feel that Jalen Green is a burgeoning superstar have a pressing question: Why?

Rockets general manager Rafael Stone has a simple answer for them.

Rockets' GM makes bold proclamation on Durant blockbuster

"He's Kevin Durant."

-Rafael Stone

Simple. Effective. Why mince words? The Rockets acquired Kevin Durant because he's Kevin Durant.

He's one of the best scorers in NBA history - if not the very best. Durant is a 7'0" off-guard with shooting mechanics that will make your backcourt blush. He's maximally efficient at all three levels of the floor. Acquiring him was a self-explanatory decision.

Let's dig deeper anyway.

The question isn't whether Durant is better than Jalen Green. Only the most delusional fan would suggest otherwise. The question is whether he bolsters Houston's title odds so substantially that it's worth having cut ties with both Green's potential and the pick that became Khaman Maluach.

Does he?

Rockets smart to acquire Durant

Let's start by talking about Green's potential.

In 2024-25, he posted his first positive Box Plus/Minus (BPM) at 0.5. In terms of comparable players in their fourth season, that puts him in line with Bradley Beal (0.3), and significantly behind contemporaries like Donovan Mitchell (4.3) and Anthony Edwards (3.3). Green compares decently well to Devin Booker (1.0), but it should be noted that Booker spent his fourth season on a Suns team that went 19-63.

Is BPM the be-all, end-all? No. Still, it is generally regarded as the best single measure of a player's impact. More broadly, you'd have to be a world-renowned data scientist to engineer numbers to suggest that Green was on pace to match Mitchell or Edwards' impact.

If he's on track to be Beal, he's on track to be a scoring champion - and the owner of the worst contract in the NBA. This speaks to the bigger picture regarding Green. The league is moving away from guards who skew heavily towards scoring.

Then, there's Maluach. He's got ample upside. That said, the Rockets already have a young star at the 5 in Alperen Sengun. Perhaps they could have paired the duo, but that's not grounds for them to regret the Durant deal.

After all, Durant's 2024-25 BPM was 3.2. His overall efficiency as a shot maker should revolutionize the Rockets' offense. The Rockets acquired a superstar player without sending out a player who's likely to lead them to glory down the road:

That doesn't require a lengthy justification.