Where Do Rockets' Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant Rank Among NBA Duos?

Following the 2024-25 NBA season, the Houston Rockets had a clear need for scoring. A first-round exit as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference was a tough pill to swallow, even if it was largely due to inexperience. The needed to reload in the offseason.

The Rockets lacked a go-to shot creator who could generate efficient offense. The inconsistency of Jalen Green plagued them at times during last season, and they needed a star to pair with Alperen Sengun. That star ended up being Kevin Durant, one of the greatest scorers of all time.

Durant, despite being 36 years old, is still elite in today's game. He averaged 26.6 points and 4.2 assists on 52.7% shooting from the field and 41.3% from three. Sengun, on the other hand, also had an elite season, making his first All-Star appearance. The Turkish center put up 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game.

Durant and Sengun immediately become one of the best duos in the league, but where do they rank on the scale? There are so many more proven tandems across the NBA, so they aren't necessarily at the very top, but it's tough to argue other names over them, considering expectations coming into this season.

Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengu — Dec 27, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) greets Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) following the game at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

With injuries to stars such as Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton, Sengun and Durant actually have a case for being in the top five. LeBron James and Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, and Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are proven duos that have been solidified in NBA history.

From there, however, Durant and Sengun have an argument over tandems such as Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler (given the stage of their careers), Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, and Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley. Given Durant's proven talents and elite production even now, plus Sengun's rising stardom and ability to do it all on offense, they could be the fourth or fifth-best duo in the game.

Of course, this is just for the 2025-26 season. The Rockets could take advantage of so many injuries to the league's stars, but when they return, Durant and Sengun should slide back in the duo rankings. What matters more, though, is that Houston finds success as an overall team. The NBA is becoming a league more dependent on the depth of a rotation than the big names on rosters.

The new All-Star format could provide major changes to selections, but Houston's two stars should be in major contention for appearances in February.