As the Houston Rockets prepared to enter the 2025-26 NBA season, the team seemed complete, deep, and poised to seriously contend for a championship for the first time in years.
Yet, the recent news of the ACL injury to Fred VanVleet, which could cause him to miss the entire season, throws a serious wrench in things, and, if the season ultimately does not play out successfully as a result, the Rockets' move for Kevin Durant could come back to haunt them as they try to negotiate an extension.
While it remains the most likely scenario that Durant accepts a contract extension to stay in Houston beyond this season, a sub-par performance could lead him to seek the final bag of his career elsewhere, increasing the risk the Rockets' bold gamble does not pay off.