Kevin Durant Pushes Back on Rockets Minutes Limit: “I’m Better on the Court”

Kevin Durant has made his disagreement clear with the idea that the Houston Rockets should reduce his minutes game by game, saying he is most effective when he is on the court and that the team benefits from his presence. Durant said cutting minutes simply on the grounds that he is “older” or “has played a lot” does not serve the purpose, as he trains to stay on the floor and is ready to play as much as the game requires.

According to Bleacher Report, Durant played 78 games last season and logged 2,840 regular-season minutes — his highest total since the 2013-14 season. In the playoffs he appeared in only one first-round game against the Los Angeles Lakers because of an ankle injury, and Houston were eliminated in six games. During the regular season he averaged 36.4 minutes per game, ranking third in the NBA behind Tyrese Maxey (38.0) and Amen Thompson (37.4).

There has been concern about workload for starters in the past — Jabari Smith Jr., for example, was also among the 10 most-used players at 35.1 minutes per game — but this season Houston appears to have more depth on the bench. With Fred VanVleet returning from an ACL injury and Steven Adams back from an ankle issue, plus additions such as Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic and the retention of Tari Eason, the expectation is that responsibility will be spread more evenly, allowing more careful management of the stars’ minutes.

Durant says he is prepared to carry a heavy load if needed, but with the expected roster depth the team should be able to manage his court time better, analysts and commentators note. Bleacher Report points out that this combination of returns and reinforcements could give the Rockets the tools to balance the need for results with care for the players’ health.