Two Storylines to Watch for the Houston Rockets This NBA Offseason

No one would have predicted the Houston Rockets' season to end in this sort of fashion. After a strange regular season, they entered the playoffs with what should have been an easy matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers, playing without Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves.

In reality, it was the Lakers who took care of the Rockets. Reaves returned late in the series, and Kevin Durant sat out all but Game 2, but those shouldn't be excuses for the rest of the team. Houston crumbled in the first three games, rose to the occasion in the next two, but suffered a brutal 98-78 beatdown in Game 6 at the Toyota Center.

A year full of twists and turns leaves the Rockets entering an offseason filled with uncertainty. How will the front office handle an organization at a bit of a crossroads? Here are two storylines to watch this summer:

How Will the Rockets Fix Their Weaknesses?

Fred VanVleet, Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengu — May 1, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) and Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) sit on the bench against the Los Angeles Lakers during the third quarter of game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

Houston's early postseason exit can be attributed to more than just injuries. Being brutally truthful, Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams returning to the court does not fix the team's problems; they only mask and delay them further.

VanVleet tore his ACL in September, leaving the Rockets without a true point guard. But they need more than that. Houston has to figure out how to find another efficient creator on offense outside of Durant. It was too easy for the Lakers and other opponents to key in on the 37-year-old and stop the entire rotation.

At the trade deadline, general manager Rafael Stone had the opportunity to grab some key names that would fill the point guard position and provide more scoring relief, such as Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White. Houston ended up being one of three teams at the deadline to not make a single trade.

It hurts even more to see those players end up being pivotal pieces on other postseason teams, especially Dosunmu. This has to be an offseason in which Stone gets aggressive in the point guard market, or at least pursue another efficient weapon on offense.

Who in the Young Core Could Depart From Houston?

Jabari Smith Jr. and Reed Sheppar — Jan 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) reacts to guard Reed Sheppard (15) basket against the San Antonio Spurs in the second half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

After watching two playoff series with the young core, it's clear that these players have issues as a collective. Defensively, they're impressive, but the other side of the ball features turnovers and poor three-point shooting. Thus, rumors have flurried that the Rockets will sacrifice at least one piece in that group for win-now basketball.

Amen Thompson is reportedly expected to land a lucrative extension, while Tari Eason's restricted free agency looms. In the trade market, Alperen Şengün, Reed Sheppard and Jabari Smith Jr. could bring back a potential second star to pair with Durant. Based on recent rumors, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard and Donovan Mitchell are just a few big names to watch.

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