Kevin Durant appeared on the Rockets' Sunday, Sept. 6 injury report as day-to-day with a left ankle issue, with no prior status listed. Houston does not open its season until Oct. 9 at Dallas, and the team's official expected return date for Durant is Oct. 1.
What happened
Kevin Durant was listed day-to-day on the Sept. 6 injury report at 4:32 a.m. ET with a left ankle issue, marked in the leg category. The report carried no previous status for Durant, making this his first appearance on the injury list this cycle. The report's comment did not address the ankle directly, instead noting that Durant averaged 26.0 points per game in his first season with Houston and moved into the top five on the NBA's career 30-point games list. The team's expected return date is listed as Oct. 1, 2026.
What it means for the Rockets
Houston opens its 2026-27 season on the road at Dallas on Friday, Oct. 9, with the team currently 0-0 since the season has not started. Last season, in his first year with the Rockets, Durant played 78 games and averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 36.4 minutes. If he is unavailable, the minutes and scoring load would lean on the rotation that played without him: Amen Thompson (37.4 min, 18.3 pts), Alperen Sengun (33.3 min, 20.4 pts) and Jabari Smith Jr. (35.1 min, 15.8 pts) top that group. There is no record with or without Durant to cite, since no regular-season games have been played yet.
What to watch
The Rockets' official expected return date for Durant is Oct. 1, 2026, ahead of the Oct. 9 opener at Dallas. Fred VanVleet (right knee) and Steven Adams (left ankle) are also listed day-to-day on the same report, so Houston's injury picture heading into the opener involves three players. The next injury report will show whether Durant's status changes before the season begins.
Is Kevin Durant playing at Mavericks on Oct. 9?
Not announced. Durant is listed day-to-day with a left ankle issue on the Sept. 6 report, and the team's expected return date is Oct. 1, which is before the Oct. 9 opener at Dallas.
When will Kevin Durant be back?
The Rockets' official expected return date for Durant is Oct. 1, 2026.