Kevin Durant's trainer points out area of emphasis ahead of 2026-27 season

Ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season, 18-year NBA veteran Kevin Durant has been working on ways to improve his game. In his first season with Houston last year, the former Texas Longhorn performed as advertised, averaging 26 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.8 steals. However, his trainer, Jamal "Dash" Lovell, still sees some areas that need improving.

"When they throw doubles at him and he's tired or fatigued, we want him to get better at not turning the ball over out of the double team. So it's about making sure that he develops as a passer through the double team. So that was one of the points of emphasis from watching his film. It's about making sure that he continues to develop."

Durant's turnover struggles were evident in his lone postseason matchup against the Lakers, giving the ball away nine times. Unfortunately for Houston, Durant was unable to suit up in the team's five other matchups, as the Rockets suffered a 4-2 series defeat and a first-round exit.

Heading into the 2026-27 season, Houston's acquisition of Marcus Smart and the return of Fred VanVleet should take some ball-handling pressure off of Durant.

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