The Rockets didn’t just clear a little room when they used future second-round draft capital to move Dorian Finney-Smith’s salary in July. They may have quietly set themselves up for something much bigger down the line.
That was the key takeaway from The Athletic’s John Hollinger, who pointed out in an offseason review that Houston is sitting just under the NBA’s luxury-tax line. The short-term benefit is obvious enough, but the longer view matters more. By staying out of repeater-tax territory for the 2028-29 season, the Rockets could preserve the kind of flexibility that leads to major movement later.
“While I don’t really care about Tilman Fertitta’s checkbook, I do care about the implications of the repeater tax, and keeping it out of play for the 2028-29 season could set up Houston for some transactional fireworks.”
Houston still has plenty of ammo, too. The Rockets hold an unprotected first-round swap from Brooklyn, an unprotected Phoenix Suns pick in 2027, and an unprotected pick from either Phoenix or the Dallas Mavericks in 2029. That kind of draft stash, paired with a roster that already has balance and cap flexibility, gives the front office room to chase a major upgrade if the right name hits the market.
That move could happen as early as the NBA’s in-season window this winter. If not, the 2027 offseason looms as another possible launch point, especially with that draft carrying the selections Houston controls.
Of course, there’s another path here: the Rockets may not need a splash at all. They could simply be good enough as currently built, or get there through the growth of their younger players. That’s the outcome general manager Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka would prefer to see when training camp opens Wednesday for the 2026-27 season.
Still, the backup plan is loud and clear. Houston enters the year after back-to-back 52-30 seasons and first-round playoff exits, with the internal expectation of making a deeper run in the 2027 playoffs next spring. If that doesn’t happen, or if the season starts going sideways, the Rockets have positioned themselves to make something far more dramatic happen.
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Rockets Camp Opens With 3 Questions That Could Limit This Team
Training camp is about to open for the Rockets, and the buzz around this group has a little more edge to it than usual. Houston enters the season with real playoff expectations, but there are still a few areas that could determine whether the team looks like a contender or just another talented roster trying to find its footing. Fred VanVleets status, the growth of rookie E.J. Thornton and the steady presence of Kevin Durant are all part of that conversation.
Durant remains Houstons top scoring threat, which is why his health and availability loom so large over everything the Rockets want to do. The team does not need many reminders of how fragile a postseason run can be when a primary weapon is limited, and that is why camp matters so much now. If Houston is going to match its expectations, it will need answers in a hurry from the very players most capable of changing the ceiling. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Camp Opens With Pressure To Fix What Hurt Amen And Reed
The Rockets will open training camp with a roster that looks built to ease some of the burden that fell on Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard last season. Houston brought in several new pieces, including Marcus Smart, Bruce Thornton and Bogdan Bogdanovic, as the front office tries to give Ime Udoka a more balanced group and a little more help around two young players who were asked to carry too much too soon.
Marcus Smarts arrival stands out as the kind of veteran addition this team has been missing, and the rest of the new faces give the camp roster a different feel than the one Houston rolled out a year ago. The bigger question hanging over the first days of camp is the status of Fred VanVleet, with Rafael Stone and Udoka expected to face questions about whether he has been medically cleared for full participation at media day. [Read more 🡒]
Rockets Preseason Battle Just Got More Crowded Than Fans Realize
The Rockets have added more depth to their summer competition by bringing in a new wave of undrafted talent on two-way contracts for the 2026-2027 season. Quadir Copeland, Sean Pedulla and Rafael Castro all arrive with different selling points, giving Houston a mix of size, skill and developmental upside as the team sorts through its preseason evaluations.
Copeland brings a 6-foot-6 frame and a defensive edge on the perimeter, Pedulla offers point guard control with shooting and playmaking ability, and Castro adds a 6-foot-10 center who can play an old-school big man role while still bringing athleticism. With roster spots at a premium, the preseason could turn into a crowded proving ground, and the Rockets now have even more young players trying to make their case. [Read more 🡒]