If the Rockets are going to climb out of the pack in the Western Conference, they first have to get past three teams that sit directly in their path: Minnesota, Denver and the Lakers.
The top of the West already looks pretty straightforward. The San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder are the heavy favorites to meet in the Western Conference Finals, in either order.
Even with Oklahoma City trimming some depth this offseason, it’s still hard to poke holes in that projection. San Antonio, meanwhile, added useful forward Tobias Harris for nothing.
That leaves Houston in the next tier, trying to become the clear best of the rest.
Minnesota may be the most immediate challenge for that spot. The Rockets went 1-2 against the Wolves last season, but all three games were close, including one that went to overtime.
The Timberwolves look different now after bringing in highlight reel LaMelo Ball to help get Anthony Edwards off the ball more, but they also lost major frontcourt pieces in Julius Randle and Naz Reid. Houston has a defender in Amen Thompson who can at least bother Edwards, while Minnesota still has Jaden McDaniels to deal with Kevin Durant.
The Rockets also look steadier on paper with the returns of Fred Van Vleet and Steven Adams, plus Marcus Smart. Minnesota feels like the more volatile team, and that makes this matchup a major one if Edwards and Ball click quickly.
Denver is another test, and the Rockets are coming off a season in which they dropped three of four to the Nuggets. That said, Denver may be a little easier to push around now.
Tim Hardaway Jr., who finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting, is gone, as is rising forward Peyton Watson. DeMar DeRozan is the new veteran scoring piece, though it’s still hard to know exactly how that fit will look.
As always, everything starts with Nikola Jokic. Houston does have more size behind Alperen Sengun now, with Adams and Clint Capela in the mix, but Sengun is the one who has to raise his level.
He doesn’t need to fully equal Jokic, but he does need to get close.
Then there’s Los Angeles, where the Rockets already know how painful that matchup can be. Houston went 1-2 against the Lakers in the regular season and then unraveled in a 4-of-6 first-round loss, even with Luka Doncic sidelined.
This time, Doncic is healthy, LeBron James is gone, and more is being asked of Austin Reaves along with high-priced newcomer Walker Kessler. On paper, Houston looks stronger overall than the Lakers.
But Doncic changes everything. He could be on track for an easy scoring title, and James’ weak on-off number points to the possibility that Los Angeles might actually function better in some ways without him.
In Other News...
Jonathan Kuminga Already Changes Minnesotas Frontcourt Picture
Jonathan Kumingas arrival already gives the Timberwolves frontcourt a different feel, and part of that comes from the certainty around his place in it. Agent Aaron Turner said Kuminga was brought in with a clearly defined starting role at power forward, a notable shift for a player who has spent his NBA career navigating a more fluid path into the lineup.
Turner said this is the first time in Kumingas six-year career that he has entered a season knowing he would start, with coach Chris Finch laying out a clear vision for how he would be used. For Minnesota, that kind of early clarity matters, especially in a frontcourt that is still taking shape and now has a new piece expected to step in immediately. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Are Suddenly In The Mix For A Veteran Contender Boost
Minnesotas offseason added another notable piece when Jonathan Kuminga agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal with the Timberwolves, complete with a player option. Its the kind of move that can ripple beyond one roster, especially for a team trying to keep building around the edges while the rest of the Western Conference keeps reshuffling its veteran depth.
One of the clubs watching that market closely is the Lakers, who had pursued Kuminga before shifting attention toward free agent Bruce Brown. Brown is also drawing interest from the Heat and Cavaliers, and his track record makes him the sort of versatile addition plenty of contenders would like to land. He has previously shown interest in joining the Lakers, but with multiple suitors involved, this one figures to stay fluid for a bit longer. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Just Made A Win Now Move Fans Will Feel Up Front
The Timberwolves pushed their chips in with a pair of moves that say plenty about where the franchise thinks it stands. Minnesota added LaMelo Ball in a trade and then brought in Jonathan Kuminga on a two-year contract with a player option, giving the roster another dynamic layer as it tries to chase the top of the Western Conference. To make the financial picture work, the team also sent Josh Green and cash to Utah for Cody Williams and John Konchar, a deal that created the flexibility needed to keep the bigger move moving forward.
Konchar did not stay on the roster for long after the trade, but the broader message was unmistakable: Minnesota is not treating this as a slow build. With Ball and Kuminga now in the mix, the Timberwolves are clearly setting themselves up for a serious run, and the front office has shown a willingness to reshuffle the depth chart in the service of that push. The only question now is how the new pieces fit once the games start to carry real weight. [Read more 🡒]