The Houston Rockets have been up and down lately, currently sitting at 38-22 after a recent narrow road win over the Washington Wizards. The Rockets' solid roster construction has allowed them to survive despite playing without Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams for most of this year.
Roster construction has been a topic of debate in the NBA in recent years, with various cap restrictions and aprons making it difficult for teams to assemble truly effective squads.
However, one person who is a fan is Rockets star Kevin Durant.
"Thank God for the second apron and the first apron," Durant said, per Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press via The Washington Post.
"We wanted some parity and I think that's exactly what we've gotten over the last few years," he said. "I mean, it's fun for everybody watching the game, not knowing who will be there at the end of the season. And as a team, it gives you the confidence to know that even if you don't play your best ball right now, nobody really is. ... Teams are trying to figure out what lineups they want to use, (after) trades, all that stuff, so it's a fun time to be in the league."
Ironically, Durant's tenure with the Golden State Warriors was a large part of the reason why the league had so much incentive to implement a second apron, as Golden State had dominated the league for the three years he was in the Bay Area.
However, now, many would argue that the pendulum has swung too far in the opposite direction, with teams seeking smart roster construction essentially being penalized by not being able to keep their core together, even if they are all homegrown.
In any case, the Rockets next face off on Thursday against the Golden State Warriors.
