Showing a similar level of longevity to LeBron James, retirement does not seem to be on the horizon for Durant. In an interview <\/a>with Action Network\u2019s Kyle Odegard, former Rockets star Ralph Sampson expressed that Durant has the skills to continue playing in the league for years to come.<\/p>\n \u201cKevin Durant, I love him to death. He can play in today’s game for a whole lot more years as long as he stays healthy. He’s a Hall of Fame player. I love the way he plays, and I love to go see him play. He can play for as long as he wants.”<\/p>\n Jan 18, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Former Houston Rockets player Ralph Sampson is honored during the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n The Good News<\/p>\n The Rockets are coming off a 52-30 record in the Western Conference. With Fred VanVleet returning to the starting lineup, as well as Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun raising their respective ceilings<\/a>, there are high expectations for Houston to make a breakthrough soon.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Durant has served as Houston\u2019s primary offensive weapon. He finished with the fourth-most total points scored in the league last season, behind only Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Jaylen Brown.<\/p>\n If Sampson\u2019s comments on Durant\u2019s longevity come true, there are the workings for a long-term stint in Houston to be successful. The Rockets have one of the top young cores in the NBA, likely to remain playoff hopefuls, and Durant has yet to show a clear regression in his career trajectory.<\/p>\n Although Durant dealt with injury concerns when playing with the Brooklyn Nets at the early part of the decade, his availability has been exceptional for a high-use player. Over the past three seasons, he appeared in 215 games.<\/p>\n After facing a first-round exit in the playoffs, this upcoming season could ultimately determine whether the Durant experiment will be a success for the Rockets. He has a player option for the 2027-2028 season, meaning that he can choose to enter next summer as an unrestricted free agent.<\/p>\n Overall, Durant\u2019s current skillset is comparable to that of a franchise star in his prime. Retirement wouldn\u2019t be an outlandish decision at his age, but the two-time NBA champion has shown no signs of decline.<\/p>\n![\"Ralph](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/01m49dsk0x0p2d52teg2.jpg\" "\\"Ralph")
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/assets.minutemediacdn.com\/platform\/google_discover_icon.svg\"){kind=icon}
Add us as a preferred source on Google