The NBA is coming down to its last couple of months before the start of the 2025-26 season, and insiders are starting to come out with rankings for players.
NBA.com came out with the top players in the Western Conference, and some of the top superstars in the league are mentioned in the list. The list includes newly acquired Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant as he enters his 17th year in the league.
Durant came in as the No. 7 candidate in the list, behind some well-known players that include Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, Luka Doncic, Stephen Curry, and Anthony Davis.
"As he creeps deeper into his late 30s, Durant can still get buckets on anyone. He may be running out of teams to join, but not running out of time," Shaun Powell wrote in the NBA.com article.
The 36-year-old was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets in late June, which had the Suns getting Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and multiple future second-round picks. The deal included five other teams, making it the largest trade in NBA history.
Speculation believes that Durant will sign an extension with his new team, but he's currently playing on an expiring contract that has him getting paid $54.7 million next season.
The two-time NBA champion and 15-time All-Star will join a Rockets team that has high aspirations for next season. In his last year with the Phoenix Suns, which was cut short due to injury, Durant averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game.