As the Houston Rockets have found tremendous success in this early portion of the season, now settling at a 10-4 record following their narrow defeat at the hands of the Denver Nuggets on Friday night, the growing chemistry of the roster as a whole has been a sight to marvel at.
According to Zach Lowe, on the latest episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, it seems as though Durant has taken a couple of the team's young players under his wing: a development that signifies a dramatic shift in Durant's approach to the game this late in his career.
"Durant feels like he's found a couple of little brother types that he really likes. Jabari Smith Jr. just mimics his every move in practice [and in warmups]... He's enjoying that role with those guys."
Zach Lowe
The Rockets are getting exactly what they need from Durant both on and off the court
Now that things have started to settle down, it's easy to forget how massive of a gamble the Durant trade was in the first place. The Rockets sacrificed crucial pieces of the team that led them to the second seed in the Western Conference last season to bring in a 37-year-old on an expiring contract, making an aggressive move that could have jeopardized the core they had worked so painstakingly to build.
Instead, however, Durant signed his extension, and his play so far has quickly negated any lingering fears that may have remained. Through his first 14 games in Houston, he's averaging 24.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists while shooting 48.7% from the field.
Yet, Durant's presence as a veteran, especially in the absence of VanVleet, has been huge for this team as well. As Lowe mentioned, he's taken over a serious leadership role, celebrating each of the young guys' performances with an energy and a joy that has been hard to find in his game for quite some time.
Durant is a legend, and it's easy to imagine how immensely many of the younger Rockets, some of whom have not even exited their rookie contracts, look up to him. As the season goes on, his ability to galvanize the team, and instill confidence in players like Reed Sheppard, could prove to be just as impactful as his performance on the court.
Last season, Houston fell short in the playoffs as a result of their overall lack of experience in big moments. Durant not only provides that, but he provides a reassuring presence to the team as a whole. That is what the Rockets hoped they were getting when they made the trade in the first place.