Now with the Rockets, Kevin Durant will be on the opponent’s bench for Oklahoma City’s ring night in October. That adds yet another layer of intrigue.

But Houston took a leap from regular season curio with unproven youth to true contention when it traded for 15-time All-Star power forward Kevin Durant. The Rockets also signed rim-rolling center Clint Capela, 3-and-D swingman Dorian Finney-Smith, and shooting guard Josh Okogie, while re-signing point guard Fred VanVleet and center Steven Adams.

On the outside looking in, the Rockets do appear to be one of the top contenders in the NBA. Alongside Durant, Houston has players like Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, and Fred VanVleet in the starting lineup. They also have great depth featuring Dorian Finney-Smith, Clint Capela, Steven Adams, Reed Sheppard, and Tari Eason.