What's next for the Rockets? Questions about Ime Udoka, Kevin Durant, others will define offseason

The Houston Rockets had high hopes for the future when they traded for Kevin Durant in the offseason, but the season did not go as planned. First, point guard Fred VanVleet suffered a season-ending injury before the season even began, leaving Houston without a lead guard. Then, despite winning the same number of games as last year, the Rockets never seemed to find any rhythm on offense.

Moving forward, the Rockets have to face the reality that the Western Conference is a gauntlet, which could impact some of the team's future moves. Houston heads into the offseason with questions surrounding the team's core and head coach. Here's a breakdown of where the Rockets go from here.

NBA PLAYOFFS HQ: Live NBA scores | NBA playoff schedule | NBA playoff bracket Kevin Durant's future Once again, Durant's future with his team is a question despite the veteran having another strong season. Durant's injuries in the playoffs were a big reason why the Rockets lost to the Lakers , as Houston ended up with a similar season than they had last year without Durant. There is no guarantee that the Rockets will want to bring Durant back next year, especially considering he can opt-out after the 2026-27 season.

Houston will have to decide on a direction for the future and whether it makes sense to keep Durant or move on with a focus on the younger core. Durant will be 38 years old next year and presumably wants another chance at an NBA title. If he doesn't think the Rockets are title contenders, he might once again ask for a trade to a contending team.