Rockets must avoid an unmitigated disaster by trusting their roster as it stands

As the Houston Rockets enter the 2025-26 NBA season, they appear poised to contend with their new combination of their defensive, hard-nosed identity with the generational scoring talent of Kevin Durant.

Yet, while, given their need for an additional ball-handler, rumors are still swirling concerning the possibility of the time making another blockbuster trade, the organization must hold pat on its intended plan in order to avoid an unmitigated disaster.

While the team's desperate need for a go-to scorer forced them to part from two pieces of their core in exchange for Durant, the team as it is constructed is highly dangerous, and they need to be given the opportunity to compete before any additional needs are addressed.

The Rockets need to allow this roster to play itself out as it currently is constructed

As the Rockets added Durant, Clint Capela and Dorian Finney-Smith this offseason, they addressed major needs both in their offense and in their depth at the position of center.

Yet, a glaring need still remains in their backcourt: their lack of bona-fide ball-handlers beyond veteran guard Fred VanVleet.

Therefore, a recent mock trade by Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report suggests that they address this need in shocking fashion, swapping Tari Eason, Reed Sheppard, Fred VanVleet, Steven Adams and a first-round pick to bring in Devin Booker from the Phoenix Suns.

In many ways, bringing in Booker would provide Houston with a floor general and a type of shooter in their backcourt that they do not currently possess. Last season, through 75 games, Booker averaged 25.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists, shooting 46.1% from the field and orchestrating Phoenix's offense almost singlehandedly.

On the other hand, however, the Rockets certainly already possess the talent they need to compete in a loaded Western Conference. With defensive phenoms such as Amen Thompson and a dominant offensive presence in Alperen Sengun, the team merely needs its complementary pieces, such as Eason and Sheppard, to take another step forward this season in order to become one of the most dangerous teams in the league.

Moreover, in trading for Durant in the first place, the organization has already compromised on their patient and long-standing approach toward building a contender. While the Durant trade will hopefully pay huge dividends and make this gamble worth it, it is almost absurd to suggest that the organization take another risky gamble before even seeing if the first one pays off.

Therefore, while it remains to be seen how the team's lack of ball-handlers will affect the offense, the roster as it stands is in a healthy position to compete, and the team must resist the temptation to act out of impatience.