He may be entering his 19th NBA season, but judging by what we’ve seen over the past few seasons, Kevin Durant and Father Time will continue to wage war for perhaps a few seasons more. Durant has arguably played as good, if not better, basketball over the past few seasons with the Phoenix Suns as he did earlier in his career with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Durant has seemingly not given up too many steps to his opponents. He can still pull up from anywhere on the court on a dime, knock down long-distance threes, and outscore most with his lethal scoring ability. With his career now carrying on in Houston, Durant is aware of his place in time. He’s not ready to succumb to it, however. One thing is for sure, though: Durant is hopeful that Houston will be his last stop.
Kevin Durant Wages War with Father Time On the Rockets
Kevin Durant wants Houston Rockets to be final NBA destination as Father Time draws nearer
One sign that Durant has no intention of retiring just yet is his positive outlook on playing for Team USA again in the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics. He made a few remarks about pushing for that over the summer. The amazing thing is, he has a realistic shot of achieving that goal. Durant is 37 years old, and he still looks just as nimble and athletic as he did five or ten years ago. Perhaps that has much to do with his body structure, being the slim reaper that he is. It also certainly has much to do with the simple fact that Durant is still lethal on the basketball court. Continuing to average 25-plus points per game at his age also helps, of course.
Yet, even though Durant remains at the top of his game, he’s also on the back end of his career, and he’s not lost on that. Speaking with Sports Illustrated recently, Durant peered into the future to talk about this final chapter he’s entered. While finishing his career in Phoenix didn’t pan out, Durant hopes that Houston offers him a different story.
“I’m looking to be here as long as I can, play my last years of my career,” Durant said. “That’s the intent. I know I said that about Phoenix, too, but that’s the intent. I would love to do that, and I mean, I’m 37 years old and I’m going on 19 years in the league. So, I want to be solidified in a spot and build with a team with a group of guys that’s going to be around for a while. So hopefully this is it.”
Year 19 isn’t about to steal away Durant’s determination to still be great
This Rockets are stacked with a bevy of young talent. They have a young core, but solid veteran leadership as well. Pure scorers and depth in the paint are a major strength. Plus, they have one of the top head coaches in the league. Part of Houston’s upside as a great team is Ime Udokah’s reputation for holding his players accountable. All these attributes make the Rockets a bona fide contender this season. Durant knows his role within the mix, and he expects to still play at an elite level, which he also commented on.
“I always want to be at that elite level, but when you’re in your 40s, I mean you might as well just commit to playing till your wheels fall off. You might as well just maximize that time period. I’m getting older but I just feel like I have a lot to look forward to. I feel like I’ve done a lot as well. I’m content, but I want more, as weird as that sounds.”
Committing to playing until your wheels fall off is seemingly the trajectory that LeBron James is undertaking. Durant, still three years shy of 40, doesn’t resemble a ride with wobbly wheels. If he means to still be elite three years from now, it’s best to believe it. Houston appears to offer him the best chance at another NBA championship. Hopefully, the future in Houston includes Durant for as long as possible. When the time comes, he can then finally hang it up in the place he desires. Father Time: take a seat, in the meantime.
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