The expectation at the beginning of the season was that the Houston Rockets would be title contenders. With the trade for Kevin Durant, the Rockets were poised to make noise in the Western Conference.
The leadership for the Houston Rockets have expressed their belief in their young core in their exit interviews, making it unlikely that they'll make major moves to remove young players or swing for a big trade.
The honeymoon phase in Houston is officially over, and it ended with a deafening thud. When the Los Angeles Lakers unceremoniously dumped the Rockets out of the playoffs in six games, the writing wasn’t just on the wall; it was allegedly being frantically typed from a secret social media account.
The Houston Rockets saw their 2025-26 season end just as the previous one did, with a first-round playoff loss. This time around, the Rockets lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.
The Rockets could again be a team to watch on the trade market. Houston has been linked to potential pursuits of Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid this offseason, according to Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports.
The Rockets dealt with more than injuries this season. The absences of Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams removed two veteran voices from the locker room, and that left less insulation around Kevin Durant as the year unfolded, according to Ramona Shelburne and Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
While the Houston Rockets are out of the playoffs and the Cleveland Cavaliers are still in the mix for a possible championship this postseason, rumors are floating around that James Harden and the Rockets’ organization have had mutual interest for a reunion in past years.
The Houston Rockets ran out of offense in the first round of the NBA playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers, as the loss of Kevin Durant proved costly in a six-game defeat against a shorthanded group led by LeBron James.
Kevin Durant's first season with the Houston Rockets went much better than his final season with the Phoenix Suns. Or his final full season with the Brooklyn Nets. In both cases, Durant and his respective ball clubs didn't experience any postseason success.
LeBron's career can't go on forever, can it? If it were to end tomorrow, it would be the greatest run of sustained excellence the league has ever seen.
Trade noise hit the Houston Rockets the moment the season ended, and Alperen Sengun found himself right in the middle of it. The Houston Rockets’ big man came in with real buzz this year, but the ride wasn’t smooth.
As the Houston Rockets regroup after a disappointing first-round playoff exit, one thing is clear: they need to make a change. This season was dominated by underwhelming offense despite acquiring Kevin Durant in June of 2025.
Occam’s razor is attributed to a 14th-century friar named William of Ockham. He doesn’t seem to be widely remembered for much else. The simplest explanation is: his idea that the explanation with the fewest elements is probably the most logical one was by far his best work.
Alperen Sengun has been one of the best draft selections made by Houston Rockets General Manager Rafael Stone, dating back to Stone’s hire in 2020. Sengun is the only player among Stone’s ten total draft selections to have made an All-Star team.
The Houston Rockets’ season came to an earlier-than-expected ending in the first round of the NBA Playoffs to an injured Los Angeles Lakers squad. This
Prior to the 2025-26 NBA season, Tari Eason and the Houston Rockets failed to come to terms on an agreement on a contract extension. The Rockets had made it a priority to reach extensions with each of their home-drafted selections over the last five years.
The season is over for the Houston Rockets, and the front office is going into the offseason licking its wounds after an unceremonious departure from the playoffs.
The Houston Rockets saw their 2025-26 season end just like the 2024-25 season, that is, with a first-round loss this time to the Los Angeles Lakers and in six games instead of seven.
Last offseason, the Houston Rockets pulled off the blockbuster trade of the offseason, by adding Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns. The fascinating aspect of the move is that Houston didn't have to part with as significant of a haul as one would expect for Durant.
Amen Thompson went out sad during Friday’s season-ending loss. Thompson and the Houston Rockets fell at home on Friday night in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Just like any star-studded roster, the Houston Rockets entered the season with championship expectations. However, unlike top teams, they exit it with more questions than answers, and a looming decision that could define the franchise’s direction.
An Ime Udoka update has surfaced after the Rockets’ early playoff exit, and it gives a clearer idea of how Houston views the collapse. The Rockets fell
A historic night from LeBron James and the long-awaited return of Austin Reaves were still not enough to prevent the short-handed Houston Rockets from taking Wednesday's Game 5.