Yetundejones@yetundejones

Follow

Kevin Durant Rockets minutes debate

The Rockets' front office has a plan for Kevin Durant's workload this season, and KD wants no part of it. Rafael Stone and Ime Udoka have said they intend to trim his minutes. Durant's response was essentially that both he and the team are better when he's on the floor. That competitive streak is part of why Houston went after him. It's also why Rockets fans can't agree on how much he should actually play. Look at the minutes from last season. Amen Thompson, at 23, led the league with 2,953. Durant, at 37, was right behind him at 2,840, second in the league. A 37-year-old logging that kind of load is remarkable until you remember what happened next. His postseason got cut short by injuries. One playoff game, in a first-round loss to the Lakers. The front office saw that and decided his health matters more than any regular-season total. They want him fresh for a deep run. KD's position hasn't moved. He thinks he gives Houston its best shot when he's out there, and he's not trying to hear otherwise. So the question sits there: does the team force a minutes restriction on a player who doesn't want one, or do they let him hoop?

1d

Yetundejones@yetundejones

Follow

Kevin Durant Rockets minutes debate

The Rockets' front office has a plan for Kevin Durant's workload this season, and KD wants no part of it. Rafael Stone and Ime Udoka have said they intend to trim his minutes. Durant's response was essentially that both he and the team are better when he's on the floor. That competitive streak is part of why Houston went after him. It's also why Rockets fans can't agree on how much he should actually play. Look at the minutes from last season. Amen Thompson, at 23, led the league with 2,953. Durant, at 37, was right behind him at 2,840, second in the league. A 37-year-old logging that kind of load is remarkable until you remember what happened next. His postseason got cut short by injuries. One playoff game, in a first-round loss to the Lakers. The front office saw that and decided his health matters more than any regular-season total. They want him fresh for a deep run. KD's position hasn't moved. He thinks he gives Houston its best shot when he's out there, and he's not trying to hear otherwise. So the question sits there: does the team force a minutes restriction on a player who doesn't want one, or do they let him hoop?

1d