Houston Rockets Could Adopt the NBA Champion's Strategy

Houston could take a page out of the Thunder’s book.

Apr 28, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) questions the call after a play against Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (2) during the fourth quarter of game four of the 2025 NBA Playoffs first round at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images / Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder have made versatility a habit in recent years. And it’s one reason they cruised to 68 regular-season wins, as well as the 2024-25 NBA title.

The Houston Rockets, now one of the best and deepest teams in the league following an offseason of loading up on talent, could adopt something similar next season.

Head coach Mark Daigneault has offered transformational change to the Thunder’s lineup, not only reaching deep into it to produce 12-plus-person lineups, but fairly consistent rotating within the starting five as well. Some of that was due to injury, but even as deep as the Finals, the team’s bench boss was mixing things up.

For most of the season, when both Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein were healthy, OKC rolled with both seven-footers in the starting lineup. In the Finals, though, Daigneault opted to use Cason Wallace in the starting five for the first three games, a change brought on by the team’s comfortability in doing so through the regular season.

Nine different players started more than 15 games for Oklahoma City last season, pointing to the team’s optionality and versatility overall. Next season, Houston could employ a similar strategy with their own first five out.

Four players are set to be essential locks: Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun. Three of those players have seen All-Star bids already, and one is on his way, meaning it’s likely to right decision to keep them in the starting lineup.

One more strong Alperen Sengun performance to cap @EuroBasket 2025!

28 PTS | 3 BLK

Türkiye finishes as runners-up with an 8-1 tournament record 🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/104F2DGVSp

— NBA (@NBA) September 14, 2025

The final spot, though, seems to be up for grabs. Many anticipate longtime starter Jabari Smith Jr. to retain his grip in the starting five, but Houston could certainly look to other options. Steven Adams has proven to be effective next to Alperen Sengun as a double-big option. Dorian Finney-Smith offers a smaller wing with more positional versatility and experience. Smith’s fellow 2022 draftee in Tari Eason is similarly talented, and offers a bit more defense opposed to scoring. 

Instead of locking in Smith, or anyone else, the team could instead rotate players in and out, keeping other teams on their toes while assimilating plenty of its roster with various lineups in case of injury.

Few teams in the league are even in the position to have such options, and Houston employing the defending champion’s strategy is likely not the worst idea. 

feed