One Piece to Unlocking the Houston Rockets This NBA Offseason

Improvement can come in a variety of forms. For many NBA fans, that is evident when a team actively makes changes to the roster and brings in 'better' talent. For others, that may look like doing nothing at all, and letting development take over in the offseason.

That's somewhat of a dilemma that the Houston Rockets face this summer. The direction of the franchise is clear: with Kevin Durant, it's championship or bust. They've moved out of the rebuilding phase, and like all other 29 teams, have to compete with tanking eliminated.

But how will Houston handle an extremely pivotal offseason? Last year, the organization didn't have as much pressure after the young core completed its first playoff run, then brought in Durant. However, a second straight first-round exit in 2026 leaves the team with more questions than answers.

The Rockets can certainly run it back with the same players, fully healthy and all. But if they decide to shake up the rotation, what do they specifically need to catch up to the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder and New York Knicks, who sit at the top of the NBA's hierarchy?

The NBA Finals have shown us just how valuable floor spacing and shot creation can be. The Knicks and Spurs have so much in common, from deep rotations to excellent perimeter, the real threat from these two is a pair of starting lineups that have five three-point shooters.

You can single out Josh Hart or Stephon Castle, but reality boils down to the frontcourt, with New York boasting Karl-Anthony Towns and San Antonio being led by the true alien that is Victor Wembanyama.

Houston should follow this blueprint, especially considering how putrid the offense was throughout the year. The team recorded a 105.2 offensive rating in the playoffs, and finished the regular season 25th in three-pointers made per game.

Yes, there needs to be more spacing from the guards, but Houston's scoring would reach another level if the organization acquired a big man who could space next to Alperen Sengun, Steven Adams or Clint Capela.

It would be difficult to target a star big man with that archetype, but there is plenty of low-cost depth that could add to the Rockets. They could theoretically look toward one of PJ Washington, Bobby Portis or Myles Turner, among others.

These are simply names that fit the mold of what Houston needs, but what the organization does is yet to be determined.

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