Earlier this week, The Athletic released a list ranking all 30 NBA teams by position. The list evaluates the team’s starters and reserves as a unit, factoring in recent production, availability, and morale.
With Kevin Durant as the clear starter and Marcus Smart presumed to be the main reserve, the Houston Rockets are ranked No. 1 at the small forward position. The Athletic’s Law Murray wrote the following:
“The small forward position is getting old at the top, but it's elite as well. There's a case to be made for each of Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard or Jaylen Brown as the standard-bearer at the position. The Rockets get the team tiebreaker with Marcus Smart in their second unit, providing a versatile, impactful defender.”
A Positional Strength
At 38 years old, Durant is still considered to be one of the top players in the league. He averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists over 78 games last season, earning a spot on the All-NBA Second Team.
Rockets head coach Ime Udoka might decide to slightly decrease Durant’s playing time from 36.4 minutes per game, though the 16-time All-Star has shown no signs of slowing down any time soon. He is expected to remain a valuable component of Houston’s core.
Smart signed a deal with the Rockets during the offseason. The 32-year-old averaged 9.3 points, 3.0 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game over 62 games last season. He has a prior working relationship with Udoka from their time with the Boston Celtics.
While Smart is more likely to be utilized as a point or shooting guard, Udoka, though unlikely, could utilize the defensive specialist at the small forward position. Tari Eason is better fitted to serve as the main backup behind Durant.
Although there are no concerns at the moment, a season-altering injury to Durant would significantly impact the Rockets’ title hopes for 2027. The two-time NBA champion was the franchise’s leading scorer last season, and that is likely to remain the trend throughout the coming months.
There was speculation over the summer that the franchise could trade Durant before February’s deadline, though this seems to be unlikely based on his recent production. Houston’s front office should see what Year 2 of the Durant experiment brings before making a rash decision.
Overall, there are no concerns at the small forward position if Houston remains at full strength. Durant continues to play as a franchise star, and there are viable substitutes for the relatively short periods when he’s not on the court.
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