Tyronn Lue should be a name the Rockets keep close if they ever decide to move on from Ime Udoka.
Houston’s next step is no longer about simply stacking regular-season wins. The franchise has already committed to Amen Thompson on a long-term deal, hopes Thompson can unlock another level offensively, and still has Kevin Durant in the mix. At this stage, the only real measuring stick is playoff performance.
That’s where the conversation around Udoka gets complicated. Over the past two seasons, the Rockets have posted surprising regular-season success only to fall apart in the first round.
Udoka deserves credit for building a sturdy foundation that has held up through different rosters and even injuries to key players. But the same qualities that make Houston tough to beat in the regular season have not translated when the games tighten up.
The biggest issue is offense. Udoka has never been known as a particularly inventive offensive coach, and that has shown up in Houston. The Rockets haven’t gotten the most out of some of their more specialized skill sets, including Reed Sheppard’s deep shooting and Alperen Sengun’s playmaking from the post.
If Houston wants a coach who can change that, Lue makes a lot of sense.
The Clippers’ recent punishments for a cap circumvention scheme make their future look shaky, and that puts Lue in a difficult position. He is a proven championship coach, having won a title in his first year as a head coach, and he has continued to show why he is so highly regarded during his time in Los Angeles.
That kind of résumé should matter to the Rockets if they decide they need a different voice. Lue’s calling card is clear: creative offense, sharp playoff adjustments, and the ability to squeeze more out of a roster when it matters most. Those are exactly the areas where Houston has come up short.
If the Rockets ever open the door, they should be prepared to pay for that level of coaching. And if Lue is looking for a team with real upside and a chance to add to his legacy, Houston could be the kind of swing worth taking.
In Other News...
Kevin Durant Debate Just Got Real For These Quiet Rockets
The Rockets have spent most of the offseason looking a lot like the team that finished last season, with few roster changes and the bulk of the rotation back in place. That has kept the focus on continuity in Houston, even as Kevin Durant talk has hovered around the franchise and stirred debate about what kind of move could still change the ceiling of a group that already knows how it wants to play.
Durants first season in Houston only added to the intrigue. He averaged 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists while earning All-NBA Second Team honors, production that naturally keeps his name in any serious conversation about star-level value. The harder part for the Rockets is sorting through how much real traction there is behind the chatter, especially with the market around him not nearly as straightforward as the speculation suggests. [Read more 🡒]
Amen Thompson Looks Like A Rockets Cornerstone With One Huge Catch
Amen Thompson has already given the Rockets plenty to like as a 23-year-old guard-forward whose athleticism and defense make him look like a long-term fixture in Houstons plans. He filled up the box score last season with 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game, and the broader appeal is obvious: he can defend, push the pace and create for others in a way that fits a modern, versatile lineup.
The catch is the same one that will keep following him until it changes, and it matters because his ceiling in Houston depends on it. Thompsons offensive game still has to prove it can stretch beyond the paint and the open floor, with his perimeter shooting lagging well behind the rest of his skill set. For a player who already looks like a cornerstone in so many ways, the next step is finding a way to make opponents pay when they dare him to beat them from deep. [Read more 🡒]
Amen Thompson Could Unlock Another Level For The Rockets
Amen Thompsons rise gave the Rockets plenty to build on last season, but the next step in his development is obvious. The young forward delivered a career-best scoring year and kept showing how much pressure he can put on defenses with his length, speed and versatility, yet the outside shot still lagged behind the rest of his game.
Now hes working with Chip Engelland, one of the leagues most respected shooting coaches, with the idea of tightening that part of his package before the 2026-27 season. For Houston, even a modest leap there could change how Thompson is defended and open up more room for the rest of the offense, which is why this subplot feels worth watching long before the games count again. [Read more 🡒]