The Houston Rockets are about to make a mistake. Not a small one. Not a “we’ll learn from this” one. A franchise-altering, time-wasting, how-did-they-not-see-this-coming mistake.
And the most ironic part? It’s a mistake that even the Phoenix Suns – a franchise that made plenty of errors during the Kevin Durant era – never made.
Let’s rewind.
Durant’s first season in Houston was supposed to be a renaissance. The 37-year-old future Hall of Famer averaged 26 points on 52% shooting. He played 78 games. He carried a young, injured roster to 56 wins and a playoff berth.
Then the playoffs happened. The Rockets lost in the first round to a Los Angeles Lakers team led by a 41-year-old LeBron James. Durant watched most of the series from the bench with a bone bruise. And the Rockets, despite having what looked like a deeper roster, were bounced unceremoniously.
Now, the noise coming out of Houston is that head coach Ime Udoka is safe. The Rockets have “no plans” to fire him this offseason.
Let’s pause here. The same Ime Udoka who was outcoached by JJ Redick – yes, the “Podcast Bro” turned first-time head coach. The same Ime Udoka whose offensive system looked stagnant against the Lakers’ defense. The same Ime Udoka who has failed to live up to the hype since arriving in Texas.
And the Rockets are running it back.
The Suns, for all their flaws during the Durant era, never made that mistake. When Frank Vogel couldn’t get the best out of Durant, they moved on. When Mike Budenholzer failed to elevate the team, they moved on. They recognized that keeping a coach who isn’t working – even for one more season – is a waste of a precious championship window.
Houston seems willing to waste that window. And Durant, at 37, doesn’t have many windows left.
Let’s break down why the Rockets are making a grave error, why the Suns (of all teams) got this one right, and what it means for the future of both franchises.
The Udoka Era in Houston: Hype vs. Reality
Let’s start with the man at the center of this controversy.
Ime Udoka arrived in Houston with a reputation. He had taken the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals in his first season as head coach. He had built a defensive identity. He was a players’ coach, respected and admired.
Then he was fired by the Celtics for events that had nothing to do with his coaching ability. The Rockets saw an opportunity. They hired him, believing that his pedigree and his defensive mindset would transform a young, talented roster into a contender.
It hasn’t worked.
Not because Udoka is a bad coach. He’s not. But because the fit has never been quite right. The Rockets are a young team learning how to win. Udoka is a demanding, no-nonsense coach who expects immediate results. The marriage was always going to have friction.
The 2025-26 season was supposed to be the year it all clicked. The Rockets added Durant. They had veteran leadership. They had depth. They had home-court advantage in the first round.
And then they got outcoached by JJ Redick.
Let’s not sugarcoat this. Redick, a career sharpshooter with zero head-coaching experience before this season, out-schemed Udoka in the Lakers series. His adjustments were sharper. His rotations were cleaner. His team played harder for longer.
That’s not a knock on Redick – he’s clearly a rising star in the coaching ranks. But it’s a massive indictment of Udoka. A coach with Udoka’s resume should not be getting embarrassed by a first-year head coach in the playoffs.
The Suns’ Lesson: Don’t Keep a Coach Who Isn’t Working
Now let’s talk about Phoenix, because the contrast is instructive.
The Suns acquired Kevin Durant in 2023 with one goal: win a championship. They didn’t care about development. They didn’t care about the future. They cared about winning immediately.
When Frank Vogel couldn’t get the best out of Durant and Devin Booker, the Suns fired him after one season. One season. Not two. Not “let’s see if it gets better.” One.
When Mike Budenholzer – a proven championship coach – failed to elevate the team, the Suns fired him too. Again, after one season.
Was it harsh? Yes. Was it necessary? Also yes.
The Suns understood something that the Rockets seem to be missing: when you have a 35+ year-old superstar, every season matters. You cannot afford to “run it back” with a coach who clearly isn’t working. You cannot afford to waste a year of Durant’s dwindling prime on hope and patience.
The Suns eventually moved on from Durant too. They traded him to Houston, took a step back, and hired a young head coach in Jordan Ott to build with their new core. That was the right long-term decision.
But even during the Durant era, the Suns never made the mistake of keeping a coach too long. They were ruthless. They were aggressive. And they were right.
The Rockets’ Delusion: Why Running It Back Is a Mistake
So why are the Rockets running it back?
The official line is that the organization believes in Udoka. They point to the 56-win regular season. They point to the team’s improvement. They point to the injuries that derailed the playoffs – Durant’s ankle, VanVleet’s absence, Adams’s health.
Those are valid points. The Rockets were unlucky. A healthy Durant changes that series.
But here’s the problem: the issues that plagued the Rockets in the playoffs weren’t just about health. They were about scheme. About adjustments. About a head coach being outsmarted by a rookie.
Udoka’s offense looked stagnant against the Lakers. The Rockets struggled to generate good looks. They settled for contested jumpers. They didn’t have counters for the Lakers’ defensive adjustments.
That’s not bad luck. That’s bad coaching.
And running it back – keeping Udoka, keeping the same system, hoping for better health – is the definition of insanity. It’s expecting different results from the same inputs.
The Durant Factor: A Superstar’s Patience Is Not Infinite
Let’s talk about the man at the center of all this.
Kevin Durant is 37 years old. He’s going to be 38 before next season starts. He’s missed significant time with injuries in three of the last four seasons. His championship window is measured in months, not years.
Durant has been patient. He accepted the trade to Houston. He embraced the young roster. He tried to lead by example, even if that’s not his natural leadership style.
But patience has its limits. Durant demanded a trade from Brooklyn. He demanded a trade from Phoenix. He’s not afraid to move on when he feels a situation isn’t working.
If the Rockets waste another season – if they get bounced in the first round again, if Udoka’s system continues to struggle, if the chemistry never quite clicks – Durant will start looking for the exit. Again.
And this time, at 38, he might not find a taker willing to pay the price.
The Relationship: Why Udoka Might Have a Longer Leash
To be fair, there is one difference between Houston and Phoenix: Udoka and Durant have a relationship that predates their time together.
Durant has spoken positively about Udoka in the past. He respects him. He appreciates his defensive mindset and his no-nonsense approach. That relationship might buy Udoka an extra year.
But relationships don’t win championships. Fit does. Scheme does. Execution does.
And the on-court product – especially in the playoffs – was not good enough.
What the Suns Are Doing Now: Building for the Future
Meanwhile, in Phoenix, the Suns have moved on.
They traded Durant to Houston, took a step back, and started building for the future. They hired Jordan Ott, a young, innovative head coach who spent years as an assistant under Mike Budenholzer and other respected coaches.
The Suns are not contenders right now. They might not be contenders next year. But they have a plan. They have a direction. They have a young core that will grow together.
And they’re not wasting time on a coach who isn’t the right fit.
The Rockets, by contrast, are stuck. They have an aging superstar, a coach who might not be the answer, and an offseason of uncertainty ahead.
The JJ Redick Factor: A Humiliation That Should Have Mattered
Let’s circle back to JJ Redick, because his presence in this story is impossible to ignore.
Redick spent his playing career as a sharpshooter, a smart player, a respected voice. But he had zero head-coaching experience before this season. Zero.
And he outcoached Ime Udoka in the playoffs. He made better adjustments. He managed the game better. He got more out of his roster.
If you’re the Rockets, and you’re watching your $50 million superstar lose to a first-year head coach, alarm bells should be ringing. They should be asking hard questions about Udoka’s ability to win in the playoffs.
Instead, they’re running it back.
The Clock Is Ticking: Why 2026-27 Is a Make-or-Break Year
Let’s be clear about the stakes.
The Rockets have one more year – maybe two – of prime Kevin Durant. After that, Father Time will start winning. The injuries will pile up. The production will decline.
If the Rockets waste the 2026-27 season on a coach who isn’t working, they will have wasted the only window they had with Durant. And when he leaves – either via trade or free agency – they’ll be left with nothing but regrets.
The Suns, for all their mistakes during the Durant era, never made this one. They were ruthless with coaches. They moved on quickly. They understood that time is the most precious resource in the NBA.
The Rockets seem to think they have all the time in the world. They don’t.
The Houston Rockets are about to make a mistake. Not a small one. A franchise-defining one.
They’re keeping Ime Udoka as head coach after a first-round playoff exit that exposed his weaknesses. They’re running it back with the same system, the same schemes, the same coach who was outsmarted by a rookie.
Even the Phoenix Suns – a franchise that made plenty of errors during the Kevin Durant era – never made this mistake. They fired Frank Vogel after one season. They fired Mike Budenholzer after one season. They understood that when you have an aging superstar, every year matters.
The Rockets are about to waste a year. Maybe two. And by the time they realize their mistake, Kevin Durant will be 39, and the window will have slammed shut.
The Suns moved on. They hired Jordan Ott. They’re building for the future.
The Rockets are stuck in the past, hoping that running it back will somehow produce a different result.
It won’t. And they’ll regret it.