​nnn Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant holds up an identification card while posing for photos during Rockets Media Day in Houston, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle)n nnnKevin Durant’s 20th season in the NBA will be a pivotal one for the Houston Rockets. Not only is it time for a young team to grow and prove it can move past the first round of the playoffs, but it could be the final season Durant wears Rockets red.nDurant, who turns 38 next week, has a player option worth $46 million for the 2027-28 season, but he’s proven that he doesn’t mind moving around, as he’s played for five different teams in the past 11 seasons.nAt the team’s annual media day Tuesday, Rafael Stone espoused hope that Durant is here to stay, touting the team’s relationship with the superstar, noting that “it feels like he’s really happy to be here.”n”With a guy like that, you want to be respectful of his career and everything else, so we’ll have a sit down to talk at the end of this year just like we did the end of last year, but I have every expectation that he’s going to be just as happy if not happier than he was this offseason,” the Rockets general manager said. “The one thing he wanted to make very clear to me coming out of last year was just how much he enjoyed it and how much he wanted to be here.”nMEDIA DAY: 10 takeaways from Amen Thompson’s goals to Steven Adams’ GTA VI takenDurant wasn’t ready to talk about what might happen next summer when he hasn’t even taken his first dribble in training camp for this season’s team.n”I’m not thinking about anything like that,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed coming into work every day. It’s been fun going through the process with everybody. I’m taking it a day at a time and that’s the most I can do. Who knows what will happen down the line or in the future, but right now, I enjoy showing up for work.”nHowever this season goes, it seems clear Durant, who ranks fifth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list and figures to pass Kobe Bryant for the fourth spot at some point this season, isn’t ready to think about retirement. As Stone put it, Durant “just wants to hoop,” which is evident in every workout video that pops up in the offseason, showing Durant still working hard at his craft.n”I just show up to the gym every day,” he said. “Whatever comes to mind that my trainers want to work on, I work on. Every day’s not the same, but showing up is going to get you better. I try to keep my routine. The same mentality I have in the season, I try to ramp it up in the offseason. Every time I walk into the gym is about fine-tuning my game offensively.”nWhile Durant’s offseason work is merely a habit to him at this point, he still can put on a show for newcomers.nBruce Thornton, who the Rockets picked 31st overall in this year’s draft, smiled wide when describing his recent debut in a pickup game involving Durant.n”It was definitely insane, I’m not gonna lie,” the former Ohio State captain said. “I c