Durant promises to renew his contract with the Rockets early, Van Vritte will take more responsibility after serious injury

Translator's note: The original text was published in The Athletic, and the data in the article were as of the time of the original text (September 30th local time). The dates and times involved were local time

At the first official press conference wearing the Rockets jersey, Kevin Durant did not hesitate to eliminate any doubts about his future in this new team.

"I do expect to sign an early contract renewal," Durant said on Monday at Rockets Media Day. "I can't tell you exactly when this will happen. But I do expect it to happen."

Durant will be a full free agent after the 2025-26 season, but he made it clear on Monday that he intends to stay with the Rockets after the current contract expires. Durant is eligible to sign a two-year early renewal worth more than $120 million.

Rockets general manager Rafael Stone was asked on Monday about the early renewal negotiations with Durant, but he declined to comment on how close the two sides are to reach a new agreement.

Previously, the Rockets obtained the 15-time All-Star player through a heavy deal in June, which improved their strength for winning 52 games last season, ranking second in the Western Conference, and the talented young lineup.

Last season, Durant played the best-ranked data with the Suns with constant problems on and off the court. He averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, shooting 52.7% from the field and 43% from three-point shooting. However, the Suns won only 36 games and missed the playoffs.

When asked what made the Rockets an attractive next home, Durant talked about the young talent in the roster, his relationship with head coach Ime Uduka, and the rapid growth the team has shown over the past few seasons.

"It's just seeing the team's rapid progress, from the state when the Chris Paul and James Harden era just ended, to seeing Ime (Uduka) come here, and how he turned the situation very quickly," Durant said. "It feels very natural to walk into the arena for the first time and become a Rockets player."

In the deal to get Durant, the Rockets sent out talented young guard Jaylen Green, defensive expert Dillon Brooks and the 10th pick in 2025. Green was one of the rising stars who helped the Rockets win 52 last season, but his struggles in the team's first-round series losing to the Warriors has led some to question whether he can lead the team into the future as the number one choice.

Although Stone denied that last season's loss to the Warriors prompted the team to seek a trade in Green, he did admit that Durant was the ideal candidate for the Rockets' half-time scorer and a reliable end-of-game finisher.

With Durant's arrival, expectations were much higher than before.

"In NBA history, not many people have the ability to do what Kevin did throughout his career," Stone said. "It has become an opportunity we can't miss."

With starting point guard Fred Van Vlitter suffering an ACL torn during offseason training, Durant's presence will become more critical, as Van Vlitter will likely be unable to play all season.

Van Villet's veteran experience, as well as his ability to control offense and shoot key balls, is indispensable to this team lacking substitutes and an important part of the team's success last season.

Although Uduka said on Monday that he foresees that Amen Thompson and Reed Shepard will assume more responsibility for holding the ball in the absence of Van Vreet, it is generally expected that multiple players will assume greater responsibility for creating shots to make up for the loss.

"I think organizing an offense is a team thing. Throughout the game, the more offensive opportunities we create for each other, the better," Durant said. "Sometimes, you don't always get assists. Sometimes you don't even touch the ball, but you're creating offensive opportunities for your teammates. If we play as a whole, if we support each other and run actively, we can all show our organizational talents."

With Durant coming, the Rockets still have high expectations even without Van Vreet. Many of the Rockets' key rotation players did not taste the playoffs for the first time until they lost to the Warriors in the first round last season, but from day one, they will be the target of public criticism.

Durant, who has extensive experience in dealing with the pressure of championship expectations, said that after entering training camp, his focus will not be on talking about the finish line. He hopes the team will focus on the daily process to success.

"I never talk about championships on any team I've ever played. You just have to work hard and train day after day," Durant said. "I feel that the formula for success in the league in the past few years is to have tall players, players who can break through, players who can create extra offensive rounds for you, and players who can switch and defend multiple positions... I think our team has all these qualities now. The key now is how we combine it, unite and shape what we want to be."

Author: William Guillory

Translator: GWayNe