3 Reasons the Houston Rockets Probably Won't Go Star Hunting This Offseason

As the 2025-26 NBA season reaches its last couple of weeks, with the start of the NBA Finals, the Houston Rockets, like the other 28 teams that did not advance, continue to prepare for the official start of the 2026-27 season. The Rockets last played in Game 6 on May 1st as they were defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers in their first-round matchup.

A disappointing way to end the season for the Rockets after so much optimism and hype following the trade for Kevin Durant during the previous offseason. The early playoff exit meant the Rockets could start their offseason preparations early as they await July 1st, the official start of the new season.

The Rockets are in an interesting place in the NBA hierarchy. They are well past the days of tanking to land a top-three spot in the lottery, but after their first-round defeat, they are not considered a championship-contending team as currently constructed.

Usually,, when teams that were supposed to contend for a championship fall short, the first suggestion is to make a major trade, especially when a big name is floating around the trade market. Names like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Donovan Mitchell are the two big names mentioned as star players who could be on the move this offseason.

The Rockets have been tied to both players in one way or another over the last few weeks. However, the Rockets may not feel that this is the time to swing for the fences and bring in another star in back-to-back offseasons. Here are three reasons the Rockets may take a more strategic approach to roster fixes in the next few months.

Three Reasons the Rockets May Not Go Star Hunting this offseason

They Didn’t Have Their Full Roster All Season

When the Rockets traded for Durant, they did so expecting to have their starting point guard and floor general, Fred VanVleet. Unfortunately for the Rockets, VanVleet and Durant never played a minute together, as VanVleet suffered a season-ending injury right before training camp.

That injury was a major blow to the Rockets' championship aspirations, but it wasn't the only one. The Rockets also signed Dorian Finney-Smith during the offseason after he set a career high from 3-point range, splitting time between two teams. Finney-Smith did not see the court until the end of December, and even then, he never found his footing, as he struggled all season.

The Rockets would lose another key rotation player in January as Steven Adams went down with an ankle injury in a game against the New Orleans Pelicans and would miss the rest of the season.

Adams has been a major reason the Rockets have been the best rebounding team for the last two seasons. That is three players who were expected to either start or play major minutes, but the Rockets did not have for the majority of the season.

Rafael Stone and Ime Udoka both mentioned during their end-of-season press conference that they did not have their full roster all season and that the team would, of course, look different if they did. That belief will play a big part in whether the Rockets make any major trades this offseason.

The Rockets Don’t Have a Lot of Tradeable Assets

The number two reason is pretty straightforward. The Rockets had only four players last season who made over $15 million dollars. Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, Fred VanVleet, and Jabari Smith.

They are not in the market to trade Durant only one season in. Sengun is a possibility, but not likely. VanVleet has an implied no-trade clause, and Smith is coming off his best season.

That doesn't leave the Rockets with many options for a major trade. To bring in a player like Mitchell or Antetokounmpo, you have to send out a lot of salary to match, considering the Rockets are over the salary cap. Which means you aren't just sending out one player; you have to send out multiple players, which guts your roster, and you more than likely would have to attach valuable lottery picks.

The Rockets Aren’t in a Hurry to Give Away Draft Picks

The Rockets, despite not expecting to be anywhere near the bottom of the standings next season, will have a chance to be a major player in the draft lottery in 2027. The Rockets not only own the Phoenix Suns pick but also the Brooklyn Nets pick.

Add in the fact that the new lottery system gives any team a chance to draft in the top three if it finishes in the play-in games, or, worse, the Rockets are in a good place when it comes to the draft without having to have a losing season.

That fact alone will give the Rockets pause when it comes to making any major trades, considering they would have to attach one or both of those picks. With Durant nearing the end of his career, the Rockets cannot just look at the present; they have to prepare for life after their Hall of Fame star retires.

Even though the Rockets may not be looking to make any major moves before the season, it doesn't mean they won't make any blockbuster moves during the season. For them, it may make more sense to see how the season plays out with a hopefully full roster, while at the same time making smaller moves during the offseason to bolster one of the worst benches in the league.

Only time will tell what direction the Rockets go as the new season doesn't officially start until July 1st.

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