Rockets may have reason to fear rivals if latest rumors are true

Any longtime Houston Rockets fan is well acquainted with the Warriors' roster.

Over the years, these guys have given the Rockets a lot of trouble. That said, the Warriors have undergone changes of their own. Until recently, only Steph Curry and Kevon Looney remained from the teams that consistently toppled James Harden.

Now, even Looney is gone. He signed a deal with the Pelicans this summer. It could be a blow to the Warriors.

Granted, Looney isn't quite a Steph Curry. He's still a quality rotation big. Looney's willingness to get physical and do the dirty work has been an asset to the Warriors over the years. He's good, but in fairness, he's replaceable.

Some rumors suggest the Warriors could replace him with a substantial upgrade.

Rockets rival may sign quality big

By contrast, Al Horford is not so familiar to Rockets fans. The veteran combo big has spent his entire NBA career in the Eastern Conference.

That's possibly about to change.

The rumors indicate that the Warriors are pursuing Horford. Some skeptics won't be concerned. Horford is 39. How high can he elevate this Warriors club?

Don't underestimate Horford. The man refuses to age. Besides, he doesn't need to clear any lofty bar:

If he can just be an upgrade over Looney, he could help the Warriors a lot.

Warriors could upgrade at Rockets' expense

Let's look at their respective 2024-25 seasons. Horford had a Box Plus/Minus (BPM) of 1.2 to Looney's 0.3.

The story starts with floor spacing. Horford connected on 36.3% of his threes. In fairness, Looney hit 40.0% of his:

He attempted 5, and he hit 2. Looney is a complete non-shooter, whereas Horford shoots a fairly high volume of triples for a big.

Otherwise, they're functionally comparable at this stage in Horford's career. Looney surprisingly averaged more assists per 75 possessions (3.75) than Horford (2.9) last year. Horford used to be a more prolific playmaker, but as his scoring responsibilities have declined, he finds fewer opportunities to set up teammates.

They're also near-equals as defenders at this point. So, it all begs a question:

How much of an upgrade would this actually be?

Rockets should respect rivals

Let's say that in 2025, Horford and Looney are the same players, only Horford shoots 3s.

That should be enough to put some fear in the Rockets' hearts.

Emphasis on "some". The array of moves the Rockets have already made this summer should put them comfortably ahead of Golden State. Still, it is worth noting that the team that eliminated them in 2024-25 stands to improve:

Rockets fans should know not to underestimate the Warriors.