Are The Rockets Capable Of Being The League's Best Team?

The Houston Rockets have gathered the talent necessary to give themselves a chance at competing in the spring for an NBA Championship. However, the Rockets don't need to be the league's best team to compete. Is it possible for them to reach that level?

Apr 4, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) handles the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

After years of building and a few big swings in the offseason, the Houston Rockets are finally ready to compete for a championship. The growth from their young player and the addition of quality veterans have increased their contention prospects moving into next season.

While the Rockets expect to be one of the league's best teams, few NBA followers have considered Houston a team that can become the best team in the league. The Rockets may have some opportunities to show that they can play at that level.

Houston has every necessary piece filled by a player already on the roster. They have the elite, clutch scorer in Kevin Durant, the floor general with Fred VanVleet, and talented rising stars in Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson.

Jabari Smith Jr. is the team's stretch big, and Tari Eason is the pesky effort player that opposing offenses despise. Dorian Finney-Smith and Steven Adams are quality veterans who provide unique skill sets that contribute to the team's overall success.

The combination of their main rotation players equals a well-balanced team with the potential to get contributions from anywhere on the roster.

They aren't far from a team like the Oklahoma City Thunder that is significantly younger on average than the Rockets. Durant isn't competing for MVP trophies at this point in his career, but he is still one of the league's top scorers and an impact defender as well.

The Rockets can become the best team in the league if Thompson and Sengun show significant improvement next season, and the other young players marginally improve.

Smith Jr. bumping up his three-point percentage would be a major victory for the Rockets. The same could be said for Eason as well. Thompson and Sengun will have to bear a heavy load on a game-to-game basis, and the Rockets are built to depend on them for their offensive and defensive contributions.

Houston is already elite at defense and rebounding, two elements that are vital for a team looking to compete for a title. Improved shooting and clutch scoring could elevate the Rockets to become one of the top two teams in the NBA.

However, it's not likely the Rockets will be able to keep up that level of play for the entire season. With the possibility of rest for the vets and growing pains for players like Thompson, it's likely there will be lulls that make the Rockets look different than how they hope to look during the postseason.

The Rockets don't need to be the league's best team during the regular season to win a championship next year. They just have to be sure they're playing their best ball when the season is coming to a close.