Prior to last year’s blockbuster trade to the Houston Rockets, Kevin Durant spent two full seasons as a member of the Phoenix Suns. There were high hopes for Durant and Devin Booker to make a deep playoff run together, though the partnership fell short of expectations.

Durant’s first full season with the Suns resulted in a Western Conference Semifinals series against the Denver Nuggets, while the following year ended with a first-round exit against the Minnesota Timberwolves in only four games.

In an interview with CNBC, Suns owner Mat Ishbia expressed that the failed Durant experiment led him to become more involved with building the team’s culture.

“My biggest lesson is not positive or negative on Kevin Durant. It is that we have to define what we’re about in Phoenix... I didn’t do that at the beginning. I kind of just threw money at the problem. Now I got personally involved with every decision, from the 14th man on the roster to the first man on the roster.”

Ishbia explained that he has defined the team’s culture since Durant’s departure from Phoenix.

“...There was not a defined culture in North Star where we were going, and therefore, bringing in super talented players like Kevin Durant doesn't necessarily lead to championships… It's all about the type of players that we have. Now we've defined it, and so now we only get those types of players.”

Team Culture

While Ishbia did not shift any blame to Durant during his interview with CNBC, analysts have suggested the 16-time All-Star is responsible for a perceived disconnect within the Rockets locker room.

With Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson still relatively inexperienced as potential franchise stars, there is an unspoken expectation among some for Durant to take on leadership responsibilities for Houston’s young core.

When focused strictly on performance, there is no doubting that Durant is still one of the NBA’s elite players. He averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists over 78 games last season, earning All-NBA Second Team honors.

One of the various upsides for the Rockets heading into next season is the return of Fred VanVleet to the starting lineup. VanVleet is noted for having a veteran presence on the court, which can open up space for Durant to focus on scoring.

Overall, the Rockets have the potential to climb to the top of the Western Conference standings. A deep playoff run would help counter criticism that Durant can’t contribute to a winning basketball culture.