The Houston Rockets have traded for Kevin Durant, but it doesn’t make them a championship contender straightaway.
In the 2024-25 season, the Houston Rockets finished as the second seed in the Western Conference with a 52-30 record.
However, after facing a first-round postseason exit, the Rockets decided to trade for Kevin Durant in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, No. 10 pick in 2025 NBA Draft, and an additional five future second-round draft picks.
Sure, the Rockets’ potential starting five with Durant would look amazing, but former NBA star Gilbert Arenas believes it still wouldn’t make them an NBA title contender in the loaded West.
Photo by Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty ImagesAlperen Sengun needs to stop copying Nikola Jokic for Houston Rockets to win it all
Agent Zero is known for his scorching hot takes on the NBA. Arenas delivered just that during an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show.
When asked if the Rockets are an NBA Championship contender with Durant, Arenas felt like the team is not ready yet.
“I don’t think they are ready for that yet, their games are not mature. [Alperen] Sengun still thinks he’s [Nikola] Jokic, when you’re Sengun.
“You guys have different games, but you have to understand what you’re good at, stop trying to be Jokic. So, he’s still trying to figure out what his game is,” Arenas said.
Gil wasn’t done, as he also pointed out how Amen Thompson is yet to find an identity in the NBA.
“Same thing with Amen [Thompson]. Amen’s trying to figure out what his game is. We know, you’re a freak of nature. We know you’re a two-way player, but you really have to carve out your identity.
“With so many pieces trying to figure out who they are, I don’t know if they’re going to be a real contender, but they do have Kevin Durant,” Arenas concluded.
Alperen Sengun once responded to being called ‘Baby Jokic’
Going back to Arenas’ point about Alperen Sengun being compared to Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic, the Rockets star has even earned the nickname of ‘Baby Jokic.’
Sengun addressed this comparison during a January 26, 2024, episode of JJ Redick’s ‘The Old Man and The Three’ podcast.
“No, it doesn’t bother me for now. I’m still young! But after some point, yeah… They mean that my game is similar to his but when I grow up, I don’t want to hear that,” Sengun boldly stated.
Getting compared to an NBA champion and a 3x NBA MVP is no small deal, but Sengun indeed wants to carve out his own identity as he gains experience in the league.
Despite Sengun issuing this statement, it’s safe to say Arenas doesn’t feel like the Rockets star has succeeded in getting out of Jokic’s shadow, at least for now.
Will the 2025-26 NBA season be any different while playing alongside Durant? Only time will tell.