As the Rockets arrived in Macau, attention across 12BSports VR46 quickly turned toward Kevin Durant’s first appearance in front of Chinese fans wearing Houston colors. The Mavericks reached the city a day later, with the two teams scheduled to play back-to-back preseason games at the Venetian Arena. For Houston, these contests also represent the final public test before the new season officially begins.

In the days leading up to the games, four storylines have shaped the conversation around the team: the attitude of its superstar, the opportunities available to young players, the responsibilities assigned to veterans, and the reason outside expectations have suddenly risen. They may appear unrelated, but all four point toward the same conclusion about where Houston is heading.

Durant recently took part in an official NBA interview and was asked a tricky question. If he could take one skill from any player in the league, what would he choose? His first response was full of confidence: “I feel like I can do everything.” He then added that he would probably choose Kyrie Irving’s ball-handling.

Irving quickly responded with warmth. He paid tribute to his former teammate, saying there was nothing but respect between them and describing their relationship as one built on mutual admiration. He ended with a simple message to Durant: “I love you, brother.”

Under normal circumstances, it would have been little more than a friendly exchange between former teammates. The timing, however, gave it another layer. Durant and Irving once played together in Brooklyn. Now one is in Houston and the other in Dallas, and they are preparing to face each other in Macau only days later.

There is another reason the exchange attracted attention. Houston media have recently been discussing the possibility of Irving eventually joining the Rockets. Reporter Jake Fischer previously indicated that Houston had long been regarded as one of the potential destinations for Irving, while several league executives have reportedly questioned whether he will remain in Dallas beyond the trade deadline.

For now, all of that remains speculation, and there has been no substantial contact between the sides. Even so, Durant saying he would like Irving’s handle carries some basketball logic. During last season’s first-round playoff series, Durant was repeatedly trapped near the top of the arc and once committed nine turnovers in a single game. For a forward standing well above two meters, ball control has never been the strongest part of his game, while it remains one of Irving’s greatest weapons.

While the stars dominate the spotlight on the court, younger players are fighting for position behind them. Among those names, 31st overall pick Bruce Thornton may be the one worth watching most closely.

Houston paid a real price to acquire him. The Rockets traded the 39th pick, the 53rd pick and a future second-round selection from Sacramento to move up 12 places and select Thornton at No. 31. They then signed him to a four-year contract worth $9.3 million.

His college record helps explain that investment. Thornton spent four full seasons at Ohio State and started all 136 games he played. He finished his college career as the program’s all-time leading scorer with 2,164 points. During his senior season, he averaged 19.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists while shooting 40 percent from three-point range and 82.9 percent from the free-throw line. Just as importantly, he averaged only 1.3 turnovers across his four college seasons.

He carried that efficiency into Summer League. Across five games, Thornton averaged 18.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.6 steals while converting 40.6 percent of his three-point attempts. In his opening game against Denver, he played 35 minutes and scored 27 points.

His physical profile is unusual. At around 1.83 meters tall, Thornton does not possess ideal NBA height, but his wingspan approaches 1.96 meters and his weight is close to 100 kilograms. He is short by league standards but built powerfully enough to absorb contact.

The challenge is obvious. Houston already has a crowded backcourt, so Thornton is unlikely to receive major minutes immediately. He must also answer two important questions: whether his height will limit his ability to create offense at NBA level, and whether his defense can meet Ime Udoka’s demanding standards. At this stage, avoiding mistakes in the minutes he receives may matter more than chasing impressive scoring numbers.

For anyone assessing Houston’s changing rotation through 12BSports VR46, Marcus Smart has a much clearer role ahead of Thornton. The Rockets signed Smart to a two-year, $13 million contract this summer, with a salary of $6.5 million next season. The reasoning behind that move is straightforward.

Smart was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 and previously worked with Udoka in Boston. Last season with the Lakers, he appeared in 28 regular-season games and averaged 23.4 minutes, while his defensive efficiency recovered toward his career average.

His 33.1 percent three-point shooting still reflects an obvious offensive limitation, but Houston did not sign him primarily to score. Udoka needs someone who can communicate defensive schemes, change matchups on the fly and keep the entire rotation organized. That responsibility became particularly important after Dillon Brooks left and created a leadership gap on the perimeter.

Smart’s responsibilities therefore extend beyond defense. He is expected to ease some of the playmaking burden on Fred VanVleet and provide a reliable secondary handler when Amen Thompson or Reed Sheppard struggle to control possessions. Having an experienced guard nearby should also reduce some of the pressure placed on Houston’s younger players.

Analyst Gatlin expects Smart to play around 20 to 25 minutes per night and believes he could move into the starting lineup whenever VanVleet is unavailable. He has also suggested an intriguing combination featuring Smart, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Durant and Jabari Smith Jr.

In that lineup, Smith could operate as the center while the other four players switch aggressively across defensive assignments. The group would offer strong size, athleticism and defensive versatility, giving Udoka another lineup capable of creating problems without relying entirely on traditional positional roles.

Houston’s roster is beginning to take on a clearer structure. Experience has been added to the backcourt, younger players are continuing to push upward, and the hierarchy between established stars and developing talent is becoming easier to understand. That combination has also changed how outsiders view the Rockets.

Durant’s arrival naturally raised the ceiling, but Houston’s growing appeal is not built around one superstar alone. Smart brings championship-level experience and defensive leadership, while players such as Thornton provide another layer of competition beneath the established rotation. If the younger guards develop quickly, Udoka could have far more flexibility than the roster initially appeared to offer.

The two preseason games in Macau should provide another useful checkpoint. They will reveal more about how Durant fits into the offense, how much responsibility Smart receives, and whether Thornton can turn a promising summer into meaningful minutes against stronger opposition. Preseason results themselves may not carry much weight, but individual roles can begin to take shape very quickly.

As expectations continue to rise around Houston, fans following the team’s evolution through 12BSports VR46 can see why the mood has changed so sharply. Durant has openly acknowledged an area he would still like to improve, Smart has arrived with a clearly defined purpose, and Thornton has forced his way into the picture sooner than many expected. With veterans filling specific needs and newcomers competing for bigger roles, the Rockets suddenly look like a team with more answers than questions heading into the new season.