The Rockets opened the season looking sharp, and that kind of start tends to invite bigger conversations fast.
Houston rolled past the Dallas Mavericks, 128-110, on Wednesday, then turns right around for an early test against the San Antonio Spurs at Moody Center on Friday. The first glimpse of the starting group - Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun - only sharpened the sense that this team has real teeth.
There is also a clear reason the Rockets may not want to wait around. VanVleet is still working his way back into form after missing more than 500 days with an ACL injury, and the club’s ceiling could rise even higher once he settles in.
That is where Zach Lowe comes in with a blunt message for Houston: don’t treat this like a team that needs to be careful.
“The Rockets are good enough that they should make an all-in trade and actually try to win the championship this year and chase the (Oklahoma City) Thunder and the (San Antonio) Spurs,” said Lowe.
Lowe focused on the two spot as the place where Houston could upgrade, while also noting the ripple effect such a move could have on the rotation.
“The two is an interesting spot for them to perhaps upgrade in, and I don't know who they end up bringing off the bench in that case. Maybe Jabari Smith Jr. comes off the bench if they keep Fred and get a two.”
From there, Lowe floated Devin Booker as the kind of swing target that would make sense on paper, especially with Kevin Durant back in the mix. But he did not exactly sell it as a realistic path.
“They have all those (Phoenix) Suns picks, and I don't know if they had visions, but Devin Booker certainly made a lot of sense from them. But now he's under this gigantic contract. I don't know if Houston would have an appetite,” stated Lowe.
The Rockets should make an all-in trade to go for a championship run.@ZachLowe_NBA and @MoDakhil_NBA discuss why the time is now if the right player is available.
— The Ringer (@ringer) October 22, 2026
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Booker signed a two-year, $145 million contract extension with the Suns last year.
If the Rockets did decide to chase a blockbuster, Reed Sheppard, Tari Eason and draft capital would be the pieces mentioned as possible trade chips.
With Durant not getting any younger, Houston has reason to at least look hard at what is out there. The idea is simple enough: if the Rockets believe this group can jump from promising to dangerous right now, then due diligence on a big move makes plenty of sense, especially if the goal is finally getting back to the NBA Finals for the first time since winning the title in 1995.
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Rockets Face Early Depth Test Against Spurs With Rotation Uncertainty
The Rockets may already be staring at an early depth check before they get a real read on how this rotation will hold up. Backup center Steven Adams and reserve guard Reed Sheppard are both listed as questionable for the upcoming game against the Spurs, adding a layer of uncertainty to a roster that is still sorting out its bench roles and workload distribution.
Houston is also dealing with the timing of the matchup itself, since it lands on a nationally televised stage and comes with both teams carrying injury questions into the night. San Antonio has its own issues, with Tobias Harris out and Keldon Johnson and DeAaron Fox both listed as questionable, so the final look at the lineups could shift late and change the way this game is played from the opening tip. [Read more 🡒]
Jabari Smith Jr. Just Gave Rockets Fans Another Reason To Believe
The Rockets home opener offered an early glimpse of why Jabari Smith Jr. remains such a central part of their future. In a 128-110 win over Dallas, Smith looked comfortable attacking the game with more confidence and touch, showing the kind of offensive growth Houston has been waiting to see as it continues to sort out its long-term core.
What stood out most was how natural Smiths scoring looked within the flow of the offense, which is exactly why his presence alongside Kevin Durant matters so much for this group. Nights like this do not answer every question about his ceiling, but they do reinforce the idea that Houston may have another young piece ready to take a real step forward. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin Durant Just Framed Houston's Next Test As A Reality Check
The Rockets opened their season with a double-digit win over the Mavericks, but Kevin Durant was already talking about the next stop on the schedule. After putting up 30 points in the opener, Durant pointed to San Antonio as a different kind of early test, one that will ask Houston to match up with a team built around Victor Wembanyama and a rotation that can keep coming at you.
The Spurs dropped their season opener to the Thunder, with Wembanyama finishing on 12 points, but that hardly makes Friday night any softer for Houston. The Rockets head to Austin for a meeting at the Moody Center, and the matchup now has the feel of an early reality check for a team that got a strong first answer but is about to see a different question. [Read more 🡒]