Four people in the Rockets lineup were Durant s sword guards, and one person was surprisingly critical

In the 2025 offseason, the most eye-catching thing in the NBA transfer market is the heavy deal between the Rockets and the Suns. The Rockets successfully got Durant from the Suns. At that time, the Rockets sent out full of sincerity, including Jaylen Green and Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 picks in the first round of 2025 and the next five second round picks. As a potential new star, Green has outstanding talent; Dillon is a defensive player with a tough style on the court. But in the face of pursuing the championship goal, the Rockets management took decisive action and gave out these high-quality assets just to get Durant's "trump card".

When Durant joins the Rockets, he will be surprised to find that there are many old acquaintances in the team. Adams and he was a teammate during the Thunder period, when Adams was responsible for rebounding and defense at the basket, creating many offensive opportunities for Durant. Jeff Green and Durant have a deeper relationship, and this is the third time they have been in the same team in their careers. Okogie worked with Durant for the Suns and was the defensive vanguard on the team's forward line. Rockets coach Uduka has a good relationship with Durant. The two worked with the Nets in the US National Team, and Uduka was an assistant coach at the time. The existence of these old teammates and old acquaintances will undoubtedly allow Durant to integrate into the Rockets' system faster. The Rockets in the new season are also highly anticipated. Fans are hoping that they can kill all sides on the field.

Let's talk about Adams first. He and Durant were teammates during the Thunder, probably in the past few years of the 2013-2016 season. At that time, Adams was a typical "blue-collar center" in the league. Scoring was not his main task, and rebounding and defense were the core tasks. Take the last season of their cooperation, that is, the 2015-16 season. Adams averaged 8.0 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and his shooting percentage was as high as 57.1%. Although the score is not high, his role in the basket is particularly critical: on the one hand, he can give Durant a pick-and-roll and help Durant open space for breakthroughs or shooting; on the other hand, he is very active in scoring rebounds, especially in frontcourt rebounds, which can give the Thunder a second offensive opportunity. Moreover, he was strong in body, able to withstand the opponent's big center in the inside and defend the penalty area for the Thunder's defense. At that time, the Thunder could play all the way to the Western Conference Finals, and Adams's inside contribution was indispensable.

Jeff Green and Durant were real "first-generation partners" during the Thunder period (2007-2011 season). Both were rookies in the 2007 class and witnessed the Thunder's process from reconstruction to rise together. During that time, Durant was the scoring core that the team focused on training, and Jeff Green was an important all-round player on the front line. Taking the last full season of the two teams (2010-11 season) as an example, Durant has grown into a top scorer in the league, averaging 27.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game, shooting 46.2% from the field and 35.0% from three-pointers. He was also selected for the All-Star and All-Squad second team, and is the absolute pillar of the Thunder's offensive end. Jeff Green also made steady contributions at that time, averaging 15.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, and shooting percentage of 44.6%. After Durant attracts defense, he can score through mid-range shooting and empty-cutting baskets, and occasionally play in the inside to help the team share the pressure on rebounds. The two of them cooperated well on the front line. Jeff Green's style of playing without taking the ball just fits Durant's offensive rhythm, which also laid the foundation for the Thunder to reach the Western Conference Finals and become a strong team later.

Looking at Okogi, his intersection with Durant was in the Sun period, that is, the 2023-2024 season. Okogi is a standard "3D character player" in the team, mainly relying on defense and three-pointers. That season, he averaged 24.3 minutes per game, scored 7.5 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists, and his three-point shooting percentage was 34.2%. His value is more reflected in the defensive end. The coach often asks him to guard the opponent's core scorers. Whether it is the defender or the forward, he can keep up with speed and enthusiasm, and can steal from time to time to complete the counterattack. On the offensive end, he does not have the ball. Most of them stand on the outside and wait for Durant to pass the ball and shoot three-pointers, or cut to the basket to score. Durant does not need to be distracted to create opportunities. He is a very worry-free teammate and has also helped Durant share a lot of defensive pressure.

Then there is Finney Smith, who and Durant are teammates who were working at the Nets in the 2022-23 season. Finney Smith was also a rotation player on the front line at the time. His positioning was a bit similar to Okogie, but his three-pointers were a little more stable. That season, he averaged 6.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game, shooting 41.5% from the field and 33.7% from three-point shooting. His task on the court is very clear: he can defend from the second position to the fourth position when defending, and he is also very active in rebounding, so he will not worry about both offense and defense; he will be on the outside line as a "battery" when attacking. Although the data is not impressive, he is very reliable in the rotation lineup, which can ensure that the team's defense and outside firepower are not disconnected when the main players are off the court, which is an important part of the Nets' forward rotation.

Finally, let’s talk about head coach Uduka. His cooperation with Durant is also in the Nets. Uduka is the Nets’ assistant coach in the 2020-2021 season, mainly responsible for the team’s defensive system. During that time, Durant was in very good shape, averaging 26.9 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game, shooting 53.7% from the field and 45.0% from the three-point shooting percentage. Whether it is scoring efficiency or comprehensiveness, it is at its peak. The defensive system built by Uduka has also helped Durant a lot - he adjusted Durant's position on the defensive end based on Durant's height and movement characteristics, so that Durant does not have to get into the inside battle too much. He can not only retain physical strength for offense, but also assist in defense and fill in positions on the outside, greatly improving Durant's offensive and defensive efficiency. The Nets' regular season record that season was 48 wins and 24 losses, ranking second in the Eastern Conference. Although he could not go further due to injury in the end, the tactics designed by Uduka did perfectly combine Durant's personal ability and team system, and also laid the foundation for the two to cooperate again now. Uduka is really surprisingly key.

From this point of view, after Durant went to the Rockets, it would definitely be smoother to get along with these old teammates and coaches. After all, they are familiar with each other's playing style and style, which is also a significant advantage for the Rockets' lineup construction in the new season.