Kevin Durant can still get buckets at 37 — but there are warning signs

Many responded Kevin Durant the most gifted scorer in NBA history. But now the question is: how much longer can he last?

Now 37, Durant has been quietly posting some of the worst offensive numbers of his career, overshadowed by the Rockets’ early success. Houston is currently 12-4, which is fourth best in the league, with the NBA’s second-best offensive rating.

Still, Durant averages his fewest points per game since his rookie season… when Seattle still had an NBA team. His field goal percentage is at its lowest level since 2011, when Durant was just 22 years old. It’s also the first time since that season that he’s shot under 50% from the floor. His effective field goal percentage also fell to its lowest point since 2011, while his three-point percentage is the lowest since 2019.

While Durant’s mastery of the long two remains a weapon, it no longer holds the same value in today’s analytics-driven NBA. Players who rely more on threes (think Ray Allen during his final years in Miami) tend to age gracefully, avoid wear and tear, and extend their careers.

The numbers haven’t been in Durant’s favor so far. And they come with a caveat: The Rockets have yet to hit back-to-back games and have played the fewest games in the league. Will his production improve as the season progresses and the schedule inevitably gets tougher for the 37-year-old?

Crashes rarely follow a clean arc. They can be gradual or come on suddenly, without much warning. Durant has already missed time in five of the last six seasons, which could be subtle warning signs that his body is slowing down. This is an unavoidable reality for all athletes, no matter how well they take care of themselves.

History may not offer much encouragement. There are no stars of Durant’s age has ever led a team to an NBA championship. The closest example would be Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who won three titles after turning 37 years old. By then, however, Magic Johnson was leading the way for Los Angeles. When 37-year-old Tim Duncan won his last championship, he was surpassed by a rising Kawhi Leonard.

This could become a blueprint for Durant in Houston. The Rockets are loaded with young talent and depth, and they’ve kept their offense on song even during Durant’s recent absence.

The irony is that if Durant is, in fact, slowing down, the Rockets may not need the star to be the scorer he once was. Maybe Alperen Sengun may be Houston’s version of Magic JohnsonDurant’s Abdul-Jabbar, so to speak.