Training camp is here, and the Houston Rockets enter it with more questions than answers after a season that ended in a first-round exit against the Los Angeles Lakers.
There wasn’t a major overhaul this summer, so the pressure now shifts inward. A few names will be watched closely when camp opens Tuesday, especially with the team’s early start tied to its preseason trip to Macau.
Some players just missed the top tier of scrutiny, but they’re still part of the conversation. Reed Sheppard is one of them, with an extension eligible after next offseason and an unclear role after failing to fully claim primary ball-handling duties while Fred Van Vleet was out.
The question with Sheppard is whether he can settle in as a polished shooter off the bench, earn trust through that role, and maybe get chances to close games.
Amen Thompson and Tari Eason also belong in that group. Both have already received their rookie-scale extensions, following the path Jabari Smith, Jr. took the summer before, and now the expectation is bigger responsibility. They’re no longer just young pieces learning on the fly; the Rockets need them to act like it.
Steven Adams fits into the same broad category of players under the microscope, too. He’s coming off injury, and Houston missed both his physical edge and his personality. The same goes for Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic, two veteran additions who have to prove there’s still plenty left in the tank.
But the real spotlight is even brighter on three others.
It always starts with KD. Kevin Durant is still expected to be the team’s leading scorer by a wide margin, even now that he’s much closer to 40 than 30.
His scoring has stayed in line with his usual standards, but the bigger issue is everything beyond that. Can he lead in other ways?
Recent stops haven’t given a totally clean answer. And then there’s the question of trust after the latest Burner-Gate.
Nobody is concerned about what Durant brings on the floor - except, of course, whoever is trying to stop him. The bigger unknown is what happens in media sessions and on his phone, because the team’s mood could follow that as much as anything else.
Then there’s Alperen Sengun. Signed through the 2030 season, he’s already put up numbers that place him firmly in top-50 territory, including 20, 9 and 6 last season.
Only Nikola Jokic stands above him at that level among his position, by the source’s measure. What he still hasn’t done is deliver the meaningful winning leap.
He’s been to the past two All-Star games, but Houston still hasn’t gotten past the second round. If the Rockets need to change direction, Sengun could become the piece they move.
For now, the demand is straightforward: he doesn’t have to be the entire engine, but he does need to be the trusted sidekick, one who can produce that oversized two-way impact when it matters most.
And finally, there’s Ime Udoka. Preseason won’t tell him much about wins and losses, but it will reveal whether he has the room under control and a clear plan.
He’s integrating four veterans into the rotation and trying to blend the old and the young into something dangerous. The late-game breakdowns against the Lakers landed on the coach, and if this expensive, talented roster doesn’t make immediate and lasting progress, he’ll be the one carrying the blame.
In Other News...
Rockets Fans Now Have One Big Question About The Next Move
ESPNs Brian Windhorst has put a little more fuel on the idea that the Rockets may not be done making bold moves, suggesting their mix of young talent and past trade activity could leave them open to another significant deal down the line. Houston has already been active this offseason, adding veterans such as Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic while continuing to shape a roster that is trying to compete now without losing sight of its long-term core.
The biggest question, of course, is which pieces would even be in play if the Rockets did decide to swing again. One player who looks far less likely to move after his recent extension is Amen Thompson, and beyond that there has not been any official sign that a major trade is around the corner. For now, the intrigue is less about a specific deal than the possibility that Houston is still willing to keep looking for one more upgrade. [Read more 🡒]
Reed Sheppard's Next Rockets Leap May Depend On One Teammate
Reed Sheppard has already shown one skill that translates cleanly at the NBA level, with his outside shooting giving the Rockets a real spacing weapon. The next step is less about the jumper and more about the rest of his offensive package, especially his playmaking and his ability to score when he gets into the paint area.
Steven Adams looms large in that conversation because his screens and veteran presence can open the kind of pick-and-roll looks that help a guard like Sheppard see the floor more clearly. If Adams is available and functioning as one of Houstons better screen-setters, Sheppard should have a better chance to find pockets of space, turn those into easier reads and push his offense beyond just what he can do from deep. [Read more 🡒]
Amen Thompson Just Got Another Huge Vote Of Confidence
Amen Thompsons rise in Houston keeps getting clearer, and the latest proof came with a new long-term commitment from the Rockets. The team signed the versatile wing to a five-year extension, a move that says plenty about how strongly it believes in his path as both a defensive disruptor and a growing offensive force.
The Rockets have been encouraged by Thompsons greater production on that end of the floor, and they view his ceiling as the kind of two-way impact that can anchor a serious contender. In a league where young players often get graded on flashes, Houston is betting that Thompson can become one of the centerpieces of what it wants to build next. [Read more 🡒]