In a recent article, Buckley predicted that Houston’s deal for Durant will age well by this time next summer. Conceding the possibility that Durant could walk in free agency in 2026, Buckley still believes that Houston made the right call by getting the huge piece it was missing offensively and not really sacrificing its defensive identity.

As it stands, Kevin Durant is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, meaning that he could leave the Rockets after just one season with the team. While the 36-year-old legend is the Rockets' best player (26.6 points per game last season), the organization is not rushing to commit the next five years to the 2x Finals MVP.