The Houston Rockets have seen themselves vault into title contention this season after acquiring Kevin Durant in the offseason from the Phoenix Suns. Despite that, Houston is still expected to be active in the trade market ahead of the start of the season.
The Rockets had a busy offseason including signings of Steven Adams, Clint Capela, Dorian Finney-Smith, Fred VanVleet and Josh Okogie among others. However, VanVleet suffered a torn ACL during an offseason workout last month, which could affect the Rockets’ plans moving forward.
Injury to VanVleet could affect Houston’s future plans
ESPN’s Bobby Marks believes that the injury to VanVleet could force Houston’s hand in the early-season trade market. However, only a handful of Rockets are even eligible to be traded.
“Though the Rockets have appealing draft assets (they have the right to swap firsts with Brooklyn as well as a Phoenix unprotected first in 2027), first-apron restrictions and a lack of tradeable contracts likely have Houston in a holding pattern,” Marks said. “The eight players Houston signed this summer --Steven Adams, Dorian Finney-Smith, VanVleet, Aaron Holiday, Jae Sean Tate, Jeff Green, Josh Okogie and Clint Capela -- cannot be traded until mid-December. Holiday and Tate have the right to approve any trade, while Jabari Smith Jr. signed a rookie extension and has a poison-pill restriction.”
Nonetheless, the Rockets will try to salvage the loss of VanVleet, and look to secure a championship in their newfound title window. The Rockets burst onto the scene last year after they won 52 games and finished second in the West, so they’ll be looking to take it a step even further in 2026.