Rockets Offseason Primer: Stand Pat Or Try To Land A Star? Houston Has Options

Getting bounced in the first round as a No. 2 seed will sting. But for the Houston Rockets, it also highlights just how far they’ve come — and how far they still have to go.

Two years after a 20-win campaign, the Rockets finished with 52 wins under coach Ime Udoka and established one of the NBA’s top defenses. Still, the early playoff exit to Golden State underscores the difference between being a good regular-season team and a real contender.

“From a transactional perspective, we’re largely done,” GM Rafael Stone said back in December, via ESPN. Now? That tone is bound to change.

Houston enters the offseason with a sturdy core, a top-10 pick via Phoenix, and several questions to answer. The roster features Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Jalen Green, Amen Thompson, Dillon Brooks, Fred VanVleet, Tari Eason, and Reed Sheppard. The potential departure of veteran center Steven Adams would leave a notable gap, especially after the Rockets were +30.7 per 100 possessions when he shared the floor with Sengun in the playoffs.

Time for Real Evaluation

Houston’s conservative approach during the regular season made sense — don’t disrupt a group that was learning to win. But their first-round loss forces a harder look. Is this core good enough, or are more aggressive moves needed?

Green, the team’s leading scorer during the season, shot just 37.2% in the playoffs and struggled with efficiency in crunch time. The Rockets were outscored 22–10 in clutch minutes across the first three losses after ranking among the league leaders in clutch wins during the regular season.

Which begs the question: Do the Rockets need an All-NBA-caliber star to take the next step?

If so, Houston has options.

Draft Capital, Trade Flexibility, and Contracts That Work

The Rockets own five tradeable first-round picks over the next seven years, including unprotected picks from Phoenix in 2027 and 2029. They also have rookie-scale contracts (Smith, Eason, Thompson, Sheppard, and Cam Whitmore), and July 1 lifts the poison pill restrictions on the newly extended deals of Sengun and Green, each set to earn $33 million next season.

Brooks remains on a team-friendly deal through 2026.

It’s the type of financial and roster flexibility that makes chasing a star — think Kevin Durant or Giannis Antetokounmpo — at least worth discussing.

VanVleet Decision Looms

Houston has five days after its final playoff game to pick up VanVleet’s $44.9 million team option. Doing so would push them $7.5 million over the luxury tax, but they can clear $12 million in nonguaranteed salary by declining options on Aaron Holiday and Jock Landale (deadline: June 29).

Alternatively, VanVleet could be re-signed to a longer deal at a lower annual number, which would open up additional cap maneuvering.

Extension Watch: Smith, Eason

The Rockets will soon decide whether to offer rookie extensions to Smith and Eason. Smith shot 49.2% off the bench late in the season and the team posted a +7.9 net rating with him on the floor, as relayed by ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Eason, meanwhile, quietly had a career year across the board, and his two-way versatility fits Udoka’s system.

Houston is projected to be roughly $80 million below the luxury tax in 2025-26, giving the front office room to act decisively.

Looking Ahead

The team still needs to develop last year’s lottery pick Sheppard into a rotation piece. And if Adams departs, another backup center will be a priority.

But the big picture is clear: for all the disappointment in how this season ended, the Rockets are no longer rebuilding — they’re reloading. And this summer, it’s time to show just how serious they are about contending.