Can The Rockets Still Compete If They Stand Pat At Trade Deadline?

The Houston Rockets are seemingly sticking with the team they've created, hoping to stay competitive against some of the Western Conference's best teams with mostly drafted talent and the All-NBA caliber performance of Kevin Durant.

While it seems Houston is set up for success next season with the return of Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams, the team's performance for the rest of the season could be at risk if the Rockets choose to hold off on trades near the deadline.

Some of the pieces on the team Houston likely wouldn't include in a deal are star young players Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson. Reed Sheppard and Tari Eason also seem like they are safe from trade talks for now.

Jabari Smith Jr. might bring the most intruige for a trade this season, being a big man with some stretch-four ability.

The issue with Smith Jr. is that he hasn't been good at anything he was advertised to bring during 2026. Once the season turned over into the new year, Smith Jr. regressed at his deep shooting, his perimeter defense, and his decision making on offense.

He has returned to making better decisions with the ball, but his inability to hit shots consistently has slowed Houston's offense down and condensed the floor to the paint for opposing defenses.

It makes it more difficult when Thompson is still a non shooter, and Sengun has once again become a hesitant shooter. In most starting lineups, Durant is the sole player who can stretch the floor and knock down outside shots with regularity.

Unfortunately for the Rockets, Durant's preferred play style is within the arc in the mid range, around where the defense is loaded up due to Thompson and Sengun's inability to shoot consistently.

With so many difficulties for the team, especially on offense, many believe the Rockets would be missing an opportunity if they don't address some of those concerns before the impending trade deadline.

However, the Rockets have still competed with some of the league's best, even if they eventually fell to losses by the end of the game.

Some of their issues can be solved by coaching, allowing Sengun or Durant to handle the ball in pick-and-roll sets with Thompson, and allowing Sheppard to fight through the growing pains of being a smaller guard defensively. to provide his spark plug offense.

There are definitely clear holes on the roster, but it could be argued that the roster isn't being used to its fullest potential because of the team's lingering concerns. There is a world where this current roster can still win at least a round in the postseason and get close to winning another.

At this point, a Western Conference Finals appearance or even a championship run seems difficult to imagine with the team as it stands.