Kevin Durant's suspected burner account criticized the Houston Rockets' players, including Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun. The team's stagnation since Durant's comments suggests there may be truth to the criticisms.
Key points
Kevin Durant's burner account criticized Rockets players
Criticisms targeted Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun
There has been an elephant in the (locker) room for the Houston Rockets since the All-Star break.
An X account, many believe belongs to Kevin Durant was revealed in February to have harshly criticized many of Durant's Rockets teammates, including Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun. While Durant never publicly confirmed the account belongs to him, he passed on the opportunity to clear the air when asked by reporters.
Whether the saga impacted the locker room is unclear, but the Rockets' stagnation since Durant's arrival indicates there is some truth behind the former MVP's supposed comments.
Here's a closer look at how the Rockets proved Durant right this season.
What did Kevin Durant's burner account say about the Rockets?
Durant allegedly took shots at multiple teammates on his burner account.
"Your franchise player can't shoot or defend. That's a wayyyyyyy bigger issue than my turnovers," Durant said in reference to Alperen Sengun. Durant also called out Jabari Smith Jr., allegedly writing, "I can't trust Jabari [Smith] to make a fâ shot or get a stop ... He's lowkey râd."
Durant also called out former teammates, including Devin Booker, but the only damage that could be done there was personal. With Durant supposedly singling out Sengun and Smith, he threatened to create a rift on the court and in the locker room in Houston.
Q&A
What did Kevin Durant's burner account say about the Rockets?
The account criticized several Rockets players, implying issues within the team.
How has the Houston Rockets performed since Durant's comments?
The Rockets have shown stagnation in their performance since the comments were made.
Who are the players mentioned in Durant's burner account criticisms?
The players specifically mentioned include Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun.
Did Kevin Durant confirm the burner account belongs to him?
No, Durant has never publicly confirmed that the account is his.
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Durant is in his first season with the Rockets, who posted an identical 52-30 record compared to last season. Houston was one of the feel-good stories of the 2024-25 season, finishing second in the West despite the lack of a bonafide star.
Durant, acquired for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and more, was expected to help the Rockets take the next step. Instead, Houston has frequently looked out of sync even on its way to 52 wins.
Why Kevin Durant's burner account was right about the Rockets
While Durant's injury absences have certainly impacted the Rockets in their playoff series against the Lakers, the reality is that Houston never made that leap many were expecting in the regular season. Even with Durant on the floor in Game 2, the Rockets couldn't find any rhythm offensively.
All Sengun has done of late is validate what Durant supposedly said about him. Sengun's defense has been a major liability at times for the Rockets, and his offensive game is often too limited to make up for it.
Accused of not being able to shoot, Sengun shot 1-of-8 from 3-point range over the first four games of the series against L.A., not even attempting a shot from beyond the arc in Game 4. Sengun still has plenty of gifts on the offensive end, but what Durant allegedly accused him of missing from his game is what has hurt the Rockets time and time again.
Smith has actually been a step better on the offensive end this season compared to last, but both he and Amen Thompson have struggled to round into true offensive forces. For Thompson, who has been thrust into an unfamiliar role as de facto point guard and has never been a shooter, that's fine. Smith doesn't offer nearly the same defensive value as Thompson, and the Rockets' offense has looked far too one-dimensional with Sengun, Thompson and Smith trying to carry the load in Durant's absence.
Sengun and Smith had two of the three worst defensive ratings among Rockets players this season. Sandwiched between them, however, was Durant, so they might take issue with him calling out their defensive lapses.
The Rockets' stagnation seems to be the result of roster construction, which is what Durant implied in more vulgar terms. Sengun and Smith have valuable roles to play in the NBA, but the roles they are being asked to play in Houston right now might not be best suited for success.
Many blamed Jalen Green for the Rockets' playoff exit last season. After all, Green largely struggled in Houston's series loss to the Warriors and was highly volatile from an efficiency standpoint during the season. He could shoot, however, as could Dillon Brooks, who always plays with an edge that the Rockets look like they could have used this season. Houston also lost PG Fred VanVleet to an ACL tear before the season, leaving the team without a true floor general.
Some kind of shakeup is likely needed for the Rockets to make that jump next season, though the return of VanVleet should help some of Houston's pieces fit back into the right places.
