Rockets offseason outlook: Will Houston make any moves this summer?
The Rockets need to slightly reshuffle the deck if they wish to compete for a title.
The Houston Rockets entered last offseason with a star player in their sights, and decided to pull the trigger on a Kevin Durant deal with the Phoenix Suns. Durant, aging but still spectacular, immediately proved his worth. But the Rockets had to overcome the loss of Fred VanVleet to a torn ACL.
In fact, the loss of VanVleet moved almost everyone up a notch on the offensive totem pole, a tough ask for a roster that was — and remains — both young and inexperienced. While second-year man Reed Sheppard found his footing, at least somewhat, he wasn't close enough in his development to fill VanVleet’s shoes. Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr.
, Tari Eason, and Alperen Şengün all had to carry enormous loads on both sides of the floor, and the results were predictably inconsistent. Ultimately, they fell short in the playoffs, losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round in six games (with Durant missing five of them due to knee and ankle injuries). As the Rockets enter another offseason sooner than expected, they have some decisions to make, especially in regards to fourth-year forward Eason.
2025-26 finish Record: 52-30, fifth in Western Conference. Lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round in six games. Are changes ahead for Kevin Durant and the Rockets?