Rockets' Ime Udoka Sees Total Alignment in Houston's Future Amid New Contracts

It didn't take long for the Houston Rockets to find out they had their guy in Ime Udoka. Making his way over from the Boston Celtics, the head coach improved the Rockets to a 41-41 record in his first season, nearly leading them to the postseason and out of a rebuild. A year later, they were out of the woods with a 52-30 record and one of the best defense in the NBA.

Now, Houston has legitimate title hopes and expectations to make a deep postseason run. The team looks revamped under Udoka, with upgrades across the board. A young core of Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. and more have mixed with veteran talent such as Kevin Durant, Clint Capela, and Josh Okogie, among others.

The Rockets have made a few win-now moves as of late, but it's important to note that they aren't 'all-in' decisions. If things go south, the franchise won't be set back like other teams in the past. Houston has been extremely cautious in acquiring talent.

The Rockets not only secured their talent (most notably Durant) for the season but locked in their core for the long term. A flurry of new contracts has been handed out, dating back to October of 2024, that have set up the team to stay together for the next few years. Udoka was one of them, receiving a six-year extension worth $11 million per season.

Michael Shapiro of Chron recently asked Udoka about his new deal, and the head coach mentioned that other teams tried to poach him before deciding to remain in Houston. He said that the organization and its staff are all aligned for the future.

"Winning breeds success for everybody. Guys were rewarded with contracts, and extensions for coaches as well, on my staff. So, I think we’re all on the same page," Udoka said. "The progress we’ve taken about developing guys, but at the same time, winning and trying to develop those habits.

"We’re all on the same page, from ownership, coaches, and players. All are headed towards the same goal. That’s reflected by my contract, but also the commitment we have with the players that we signed."

The New York Knicks were a team that reportedly tried to talk to multiple coaches this offseason after the job opened up. The Rockets blocked them from speaking with Udoka, which ultimately resulted in the six-year extension for Houston to secure its sideline leader.

The Rockets are on a great trajectory, with a championship in arm's reach. If they can continue to build on their early success, expectation could become reality.