(Durant's contract drops to $43mm next year for salary match)

HOU: gets off the KD drama for a quality rotation player (Texas native) JRandle who bonus also provides needed interior grit, as JSJ still likes to hover on perimeter too much. DiVincenzo further bolsters perimeter depth when back from injury later in the season. Late 2026 FRP and SRP add more young pieces for future development as building largely around AThompson.

MIN: swings for fences for sniper KD in likely the final years of the Ant/Gobert experiment under Donnelt/Finch to throw a real threat at SAS/OKC. I don't see Ant sticking around much longer otherwise. KD one of the few pure iso scorers that Rudy's lack of playmaking won't actually interfere with all that much (allows everyone to better thrive in their specific roles) and is also a top-tier relief valve for the doubles on Ant. This squad is a legit championship contender.