NBA superstar Kevin Durant is on the move again, heading to the Houston Rockets in a blockbuster trade that sent Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, and a package of draft picks to the Phoenix Suns, according to multiple reports. As Durant approaches his 37th birthday at the start of the next season, the big question is: what kind of impact can he still deliver for a resurgent Rockets team looking to climb the Western Conference standings?
While his 30s may be “waning,” as the original report put it, Durant remains one of the most prolific and efficient offensive forces in modern NBA history, and his statistical profile reveals a player still performing at an elite level. His arrival in Houston, following a Suns season marked by disappointment despite a “Big Three,” injects a two-time champion and former MVP into a young core that finished as the #2 seed in the West last season, boasting a 52-30 record.
Here are 15 key numbers that illustrate Kevin Durant’s enduring excellence and what he brings to the Houston Rockets:
Scoring Prowess & Historical Significance
- All-Time Scorer: Durant sits eighth on the NBA’s all-time regular season scoring list with 30,571 points. He recently became just the eighth player to cross the 30,000-point threshold.
- Elite Scoring Rate: His career scoring average of 27.2 points per game ranks fourth all-time among players who have appeared in at least 500 games. Only Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, and LeBron James average more.
- Unique Two-Way Threat: In the 52 years the league has tracked steals and blocks, Durant is the only player with at least 500 games played to average 25+ points, 1+ steal, and 1+ block per contest for his career.
- Unmatched Efficiency: Among the 52 players with 20,000+ career points, Durant’s 62% true shooting percentage ranks second, trailing only Stephen Curry. He’s the only player in this exclusive group to shoot 50%+ from the field and 37%+ from three-point range for his career.
- Consistent High Volume/High Efficiency: Durant has recorded an astounding 13 seasons (including five straight since his 2019 Achilles injury) averaging 25+ points on 60%+ true shooting in at least 35 games. No other player in NBA history has more than nine such seasons (LeBron James is second with nine).
- Mid-Range Masterclass: Durant is the only player in the 29 years of available shot-location data with five seasons shooting 50% or better on a minimum of 200 mid-range attempts, achieving this remarkable feat in each of the last four years.
- Improved Mid-Range Rate: His proficiency from the mid-range has actually increased over time, jumping from 41.9% in his first seven seasons to 52.1% over the last decade.
- Shifting Shot Profile: The 2024-25 season saw a notable change, with Durant attempting 1.3 times more 3-pointers than mid-range shots – his highest career rate by a significant margin. This was just the sixth time in his 17 seasons he took more threes than mid-range jumpers.
- Corner Three Improvement: He hit a career-high 44 corner 3-pointers last season, marking more makes than he had attempted in any of his first 15 seasons. He was one of just nine players to shoot 50%+ on at least 75 corner attempts. Over the past five seasons since his injury, he’s shooting a red-hot 50.9% from the corners.
- Reduced Paint/Post Touches: While still highly efficient near the basket (79.4% in the restricted area last season, fourth-best among players with 100+ attempts), restricted area shots accounted for a career-low 11% of his total attempts. He also averaged a career-low 2.5 post-ups per game over the 11 seasons tracking data is available, leading to his lowest ball possession rate (9.6% of minutes) in seven years.
- Lower Assist/Turnover Rate: His assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.38 last season was his lowest in the last 11 seasons, reflecting less time initiating offense.
- Team Defensive Anchor: Durant’s presence has a tangible impact on team defense. Last season, the Suns allowed 6.8 fewer points per 100 possessions with him on the court (116.1) compared to when he was off (122.8).
- Elite Shot Contester: For 11 consecutive seasons of tracking data, opponents have shot significantly worse than expected on attempts Durant defends. Last season, opponents shot 41.1% against him, a substantial 5.7% lower than the expected 46.8% – the fifth-biggest differential among 229 players defending at least 500 shots.
- Consistent Defensive Stats: He boasts 13 seasons with at least 50 steals and 50 blocks, the most among all active NBA players, showcasing his consistent activity on the defensive end throughout his career.
Evolving Offensive Game
Defensive Impact & Durability
Durant’s acquisition instantly elevates the Rockets’ profile. While the team experienced a losing streak that impacted their power ranking position recently, finishing last season as the #2 seed indicates a strong foundation featuring players like Alperen Sengun who thrived. Adding Durant’s unique blend of historic scoring, efficiency, refined shot-making, and valuable defensive contributions provides Houston with a proven superstar aiming to add another chapter to his legendary career in Texas, where he previously played college basketball at the University of Texas. The league will be watching closely to see how his game, distilled in these 15 numbers, meshes with the Rockets’ youthful energy.
