Rockets offseason will determine future of the franchise

The Houston Rockets will have some tough questions to answer this summer.

Right now, everything is (more or less) sunshine and roses. Let's ignore that six-game losing streak. In the aggregate, it's been a wonderful season for the Rockets. Last season was a wonderful season for the Rockets. This team keeps improving - and isn't that the goal?

In 2025-26, they need to take another leap. Complacency will not be acceptable. The Rockets need to continue trending upward. Luckily, they have enough young players and assets to ensure that outcome.

What will they do with them?

Rockets enter a critical summer

So much will be determined by what happens in this year's playoffs. The goal for the Rockets will be to build on something. So, they need a clearer idea of what they're building on.

If this team makes a Conference Finals run, they may want to run the core back with minimal additions. The Rockets will be so far ahead of schedule that it will be difficult to justify pushing the timeline forward.

By contrast, a first-round sweep could inspire - if you'll pardon the pun - sweeping changes. In that event, we can assume that one or more members of the young core underperformed. Replacing them based on a single playoff series may seem shortsighted - and it may be. Still, it's something the Rockets will consider if a trade is presented to them that they think could push them ahead in 2025-26.

How about a competitive second-round exit? That feels like purgatory. The Rockets would likely consider their options in that event.

Realistically, the range of available options will play a role in dictating decisions anyway.

Rockets should be selective in star trade

Let's address the elephant in the room. It's time to say those two words:

Kevin Durant.

At the moment, he feels like the most likely superstar acquisition for the Rockets. That's primarily because they own three future first-round picks from the Suns. The Rockets can acquire Durant without gutting their roster and depleting their war chest of assets. They own something that has more value to the Suns than it does to the open market.

Durant's portability makes him an attractive possibility. He can theoretically play with anyone on this roster.

Some will say he feels redundant alongside Jabari Smith Jr. Other Rockets fans will advocate for maximizing spacing by shifting Smith Jr. to the 5. Presumably, that would mean moving Alperen Sengun.

That feels somewhat idealistic. Per CleaningTheGlass, Sengun's +5.6 net rating is the best on the Rockets. This team still lives and dies by his impact even if they wish he could space the floor and protect the rim.

Houston could likely acquire Durant and keep both, but relegating a recent number three pick to the bench for the remainder of Durant's career feels perilous. It's more likely that the Rockets would ship Smith Jr. out for Durant. They'd likely include some combination of Jalen Green, Reed Sheppard and/or Cam Whitmore, and the Suns' 2027 and 2029 picks.

Other than Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo still looms as a possibility. His poor shooting makes him less portable than Durant. Antetokounmpo projects as a poor fit alongside both Sengun and Amen Thompson. Still, the Rockets could reason that the opportunity to land an in-prime top 5 player is too good to pass up. They could acquire Antetokounmpo and figure the rest out later.

There are whispers about Ja Morant. The Grizzlies are rumored to be considering parting with him. He grew up a Rockets fan, but his injuries are concerning. Trae Young satisfies some of Houston's needs, although his defense may be untenable in Ime Udoka's eyes.

Who knows? The Rockets may look to supplement their current core with better shooters. They may run the same group back. Whatever they do, this offseason will give us a pivotal clue as to what they plan on doing in the future:

Making decisions will not be easy.