NBA Legend Shaquille O'Neal Shares Thoughts on Kevin Durant's Trade to Houston

Kevin Durant being traded to Houston has been, without a doubt, the biggest trade to happen so far this summer. Sure, the move may have been rumored to happen for weeks on end, but when the Shams Charania notification went off, the basketball world went crazy with their thoughts and opinions on the move.

NBA legend and Hall of Fame center Shaquille O'Neal recently chimed in on the Kevin Durant trade while speaking with RG's DJ Siddiqi, to which Shaq believes the Rockets have found their closer.

Feb 16, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Shaqís OGs forward Kevin Durant (35) of the Sacramento Kings dunks against Candaceís Rising Stars during the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

"Definitely got a closer, but they play with intensity, they play good defense," says O'Neal. "Should get them higher, higher towards the top. I know they let go of Jalen Green; he carried them last year, but KD is a more consistent Jalen Green. Jalen Green was too up and down for them to get to the next level, but listen, if KD's healthy shooting the ball well, they can make some noise."

O'Neal would essentially echo what other former NBA stars have said when it comes to the future of this Houston Rockets team. Their No. 1 need this offseason was to find an alpha male scorer to help put them over the top, who better than a two-time NBA finals MVP and one of the league's best scorers in Durant.

Aug 10, 2024; Paris, France; United States guard Kevin Durant (7) celebrates after defeating France in the men's basketball gold medal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-Imagn Images | Rob Schumacher-Imagn Images

Since his rookie campaign, Durant has yet to have a season under a 25-point per game average, having the longest streak of anyone in the league that is not Lebron James. He's shot over 40% behind the three-point line the past two seasons, giving Houston an immediate boost in a category that they ranked below par in last season for a highly rated seed.

For any Rockets fans who don’t realize how efficient Kevin Durant is at scoring the basketball, this was his shot chart last season

KD shot 57.4% on 2PT and 43% on 3PT in YEAR 18

Ridiculous 🚀 pic.twitter.com/c1pHOP5Bpf
— SleeperRockets (@SleeperRockets) July 16, 2025

Coming into the season, the Rockets are likely to be favorites as a team to compete in the Western Conference playoffs, thanks to the scoring prowess of Durant. Their rising stars, Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson, will hope to once again contribute to the Rockets' success alongside their new future Hall of Fame teammate.

As the Rockets continue to prepare for the 2025-26 season, they'll look to Durant to spearhead their offense and help lead them past their first-round hump that they stumbled into last season.