Just a couple seasons ago, the Houston Rockets were at the bottom of the barrel of NBA teams. Now, fast forward to today, and the Rockets have put together one of the quickest turnarounds you’ll ever see, and enter next season as possible title contenders in the Western Conference.
The Rockets have pulled off a very fast rebuild
As a result of their rapid ascension, many have applauded the Rockets efforts to leap back into contention. This offseason especially, the Rockets went all in by acquiring Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks.
Yardbarker’s Pat Heery commended the job that Rockets GM Rafael Stone has done.
“Is it possible to have too many good players on a roster? Seriously, the Rockets probably have the deepest roster in the NBA after their incredible offseason that saw them trade for Kevin Durant without giving up any of their main core pieces or future draft capital,” Heery said. “After finishing with the fourth-best defensive rating in the league last season, they should be even more stout on that next season. So long as Durant stays relatively healthy, and at least a few of their young studs like Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason make a leap, they should also significantly improve upon their 13th-rated offense.”
After a strong season in 2024-25 that saw the Rockets win 52 games, and finish second in the Western Conference, the team is looking to build upon that for the future, and secure a title in the championship window that they have now opened up.