The Rockets’ offseason has brought some changes, but not nearly enough to disguise the bigger problem: this roster still leans hard on veterans, and a lot of the heavy lifting is going to fall on players well into their 30s. Kevin Durant stands out most, but he’s hardly alone. Even with a few good moves sprinkled in, Houston’s overall lack of urgency has left the depth chart looking a lot like last season’s.
At a glance, some spots do look steadier. But when a team finished in disappointment a few months ago, continuity only goes so far. The Rockets still need more help, and the current build makes that obvious.
The most important spot may be point guard, where Houston is counting on Fred VanVleet to return after missing all of last season with knee issues. He’s heading into his age 32 season after ACL and meniscus tears, which is a tough injury profile for any small guard. The Rockets will still need him to handle a major role.
Marcus Smart gives them another option, and his two-year deal adds a little insurance and flexibility. He brings size, toughness and the kind of defensive edge that fits Houston’s identity. But Smart has never been a clean decision-maker, and that could matter in a cramped offense where he may be the only true point guard on the floor.
The backcourt should at least allow Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard to move into more natural off-ball roles. Both were pushed into point guard duties last season, and it was a rough fit because of their age and inexperience. Next season should give them a better chance to settle in and produce more consistently from the shooting guard spot.
Thompson’s ceiling there is especially interesting. Two seasons ago, he was one of the best defenders in the NBA while playing on the wing, and if he can get back to that level, Houston’s defense could take another step. He doesn’t need a polished jumper to matter; his downhill driving and smart play off teammates can still make him a real offensive weapon.
Sheppard, meanwhile, should bring scoring and shooting off the bench. He was Houston’s best long-range threat last season and ought to have more freedom to let it fly in reserve minutes. The problem is simple: the Rockets still need more guard depth behind those two young players.
On the wing, the age issue gets even louder. Durant will turn 38 before the season starts, and he’s still projected to carry a massive workload.
His only real backup at small forward right now is Bogdan Bogdanovic, who is 34 and dealing with his own injury concerns. That’s a thin safety net for a player in the twilight of his career.
Houston has tried to fix the wing depth before, and those efforts have not gone well. Still, it remains a major priority, especially if the alternative is Durant ranking near the top of the league in minutes.
Power forward is the one area that looks fairly stable. Jabari Smith Jr. gives the Rockets a strong starter with 3-and-D ability, while Tari Eason brings defense off the bench and an improving shot. More depth there would help, particularly if Eason runs into more injuries, but compared with the rest of the roster, this spot is in decent shape.
Center is where the veteran reliance becomes impossible to miss. Alperen Sengun is the clear centerpiece, but the names behind him are Steven Adams and Clint Capela, and that says plenty. Adams missed more than half of last season with an ankle injury, while Capela looked completely ineffective because of physical decline.
Houston is asking its brightest young star to play huge minutes with only two aging veterans behind him. That is not an ideal setup, and it leaves the Rockets exposed if either backup can’t hold up. Right now, they have no other real options.
The overall picture is mixed at best. Some positions look workable, and a few pieces fit.
But the common thread is hard to ignore: too many important roles are being handed to older players. If age or injuries catch up with that group, the Rockets could pay for it quickly.
In Other News...
Rockets Fans Finally Get A First Look At A Backcourt Gamble
The Rockets are heading into Las Vegas Summer League with a little more intrigue than usual in the backcourt, and it starts with a look at Bruce Thornton in a setting that should tell Houston plenty about what it got in the trade with the Knicks. Thornton arrives as a polished scoring guard with a reputation for running an offense and creating his own shot, the kind of player the Rockets can evaluate quickly against NBA-level length and pace.
Houston also added another guard to the mix in Qudir Copeland, an undrafted free agent whose Summer League invite gives the team one more developmental piece to sort through. Copeland brings size, effort and some defensive value, which makes him worth a closer look even as his shooting remains the obvious question, and that combination gives the Rockets a backcourt subplot worth watching once the games start. [Read more 🡒]
Amen Thompson Has Earned A Different Place In Houston's Future
Amen Thompson is heading into his fourth NBA season with a very different kind of reputation than the one he brought to Houston as a prospect. The Rockets have watched him grow into a versatile two-way wing who can influence a game in more than one way, with last seasons production showing how far his all-around impact has come. His defensive presence, rebounding and playmaking have all become real assets, and the league took notice when he landed on the First Team All-Defensive list.
The next step is still obvious, though, because the outside shot has not yet caught up with the rest of his game. Thompsons value keeps rising because he can already do so much for Houston without needing the ball to dominate every possession, but the Rockets know there is another level available if his perimeter scoring becomes more reliable. For now, he looks like the kind of player who fits just about any future the franchise wants to build. [Read more 🡒]