The Rockets' Key Questions and Needs Heading into Next Season

The Houston Rockets have an intriguing offseason on their hands and will have to make some important decisions in order to try and reestablish themselves as contenders.

It seems like the Rockets fully believe in their young core of players surrounding superstar forward Kevin Durant. They will need to make some important contract extensions and free agent signings as the team looks to take the next step past the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

There have been rumors about the Rockets possibly making a big-time trade for either Jaylen Brown or Giannis Antetokounmpo, and that honestly would not be surprising if the right package is offered. However, most of the decisions are surrounding the current team.

The Rockets already have 10 players under contract for next season and that includes the complete starting five. The highly anticipated return of veteran point guard Fred VanVleet on a $25 million player option will be crucial. VanVleet has until June 29 to opt-in that contract.

Both the extensions to Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. will kick in and that will leave the Rockets with $185 million in salary for next season. It will be interesting to see what the moves are. ESPN's Bobby Marks wrote an offseason guide for each team, and the main questions surrounding the Rockets were accurate.

What's Next for the Rockets

May 1, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka prior to game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

The top front office priority that Marks listed was whether coach Ime Udoka is the right fit for the roster. The Rockets' struggles in the clutch as well as the dissappointing first-round finish to an injured Lakers team are key blemishes. While many Rockets fans may not agree, Marks has an argument for Houston to keep Udoka. General manager Rafael Stone already made it clear in the most recent press conference about Udoka's job security.

"The argument for Udoka is how Houston dealt with adversity after blowing a late lead in Game 3 and putting themselves in a 3-0 hole," Marks wrote.

The Rockets offense is a key area of improvement, as it struggled with turnovers and just flat out shot-making. There is a lot of expectation on VanVleet to improve that and Marks agrees.

"Next is to evaluate whether a healthy VanVleet can fix an offense that ranked 20th during the regular season and fourth worst in the playoffs. With VanVleet in the lineup last season, Houston ranked 12th in offense and went 26-18 in clutch games with VanVleet running the show," Marks said.

Another key question is what Tari Eason's contract looks like. He's currently a restricted free agent and the Rockets seem certain on bringing him back. Amen Thompson's rookie extension will also be a massive price tag to negotiate.

Adding more shooting is the obvious need for the Rockets, and it's quite visible for anyone that watches them.

"A healthy VanVleet is a starting point, but other needs include shooting development from Sheppard, Thompson and Sengun," Marks said.

Marks mentioned that the Rockets need a reserve point guard who can faciliate and play off the ball as well as a 3-and-D type player. If Dorian Finney-Smith can get back to how he was in 2024-25, that's the answer.

The Rockets have no first round pick this year, but do have a couple of second round picks to try and address that as well.

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