Houston Rockets: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Tom Thibodeau spotted at Rockets practice, and his skinny jeans need to be seen to be believed

The Houston Rockets are currently gearing up for the upcoming 2026-27 NBA season, which is slated to get underway in less than a month. The Rockets are hoping that the return of Fred VanVleet will help guide them to a better result than their disappointing first round playoff exit a year ago.

Features

The Morning Bark

The Quiz of the Day

Marcus Smart: Defense Gets You on the Court

On Tuesday, the Houston Rockets open the 2026-27 season with their media day at the Toyota Center. That means players such as Kevin Durant, and newly signed players such as former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanović get the chance to address the media for the first time this season.

Houston Rockets News / Houston Rockets on SI / September 24

Amen Thompson Has Extra Motivation Entering New Rockets Season

Amen Thompson could have walked into Houston Rockets Media Day talking about everything he accomplished last season. Instead, he focused on where he still needs to get better.

Kevin Durant News / Houston Rockets on SI / September 24

Kevin Durant Continues to Defy Age in Latest Rankings

Kevin Durant has spent so long near the top of the NBA that I think we've gotten used to it. ESPN just released its player rankings heading into the 2026-27 season, and Durant came in at No.

Kawhi Leonard News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The 'NBA Playoff scoring record by team' quiz

How many of the players to rack up the most points in one playoff run for each NBA franchise can you name in five minutes?

The '2018-19 PPG leaders by team' quiz

The 'Last 30-point, 10-assist playoff games' quiz

The 'NBA 6th Man of the Year winners' quiz

Houston Rockets News / NBA on ClutchPoints / September 24

Rockets star Reed Sheppard’s latest social media move shows he’s fully embracing Jack Black’s Nacho Libre look

It appears that Reed Sheppard is embracing the Nacho Libre comparisons after the Houston Rockets star made a move on social media to prove it. Sheppard has changed his profile picture on Instagram to a photo of Jack Black as Nacho Libre.

NBA News / Yardbarker

The 25 greatest NBA Finals performances of all-time

The regular season is important, but NBA legends are made in the playoffs. More specifically, it's the Finals where the all-time greats have built their otherworldly reputations.

Ime Udoka News / Houston Rockets on SI / September 24

Coach Ime Udoka Believes Rockets Are Being Overlooked

The Houston Rockets have serious potential to break through as true contenders in the Western Conference. The Rockets could not capitalize on a 52-win regular season finish, being eliminated in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, but momentum is pushing toward next season.

Houston Rockets News / Fadeaway World / September 24

Ime Udoka Reveals How Fred VanVleet’s Return Will Affect Kevin Durant And Alperen Sengun On Offense

The Houston Rockets are shaping up to be an interesting team heading into the 2026-27 season. While the core is largely the same, with Kevin Durant‘s veteran experience supporting the young trio of Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, and Jabari Smith Jr., Fred VanVleet‘s return should add another dimension to the team’s structure.

Kevin Durant News / EssentiallySports / September 24

'It’s Definitely Levels to This': 6″2 Rockets Rookie Gets a Reality Check After First Practice With Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant has barely begun his Houston Rockets chapter. But one of the team’s newest players has already learned how different the NBA can feel from the college game.

Ime Udoka News / The Dream Shake / September 24

The 2026-2027 NBA Season should be make-or-break for Rockets Ime Udoka

Do you have to play sports to understand them? It’s a question at the center of too many bad internet debates. “I bet you don’t even play ball.” Does that matter?

NBA News / Fadeaway World / September 24

Charles Barkley Calls Out Rockets’ Leadership, Victor Wembanyama’s Disrespectful NBA Finals Gesture

Charles Barkley recently sat down for an interview with Casino Guru’s Kyle Odegard, in which they partly discussed Texas-based NBA teams, including the NBA legend’s former team, the Houston Rockets, and where they stand in the Western Conference.

Marcus Smart News / HITC / September 24

‘Way worse than…’ Marcus Smart calls out ‘disrespectful’ LA Lakers offer after joining Rockets

Marcus Smart claims he felt disrespected by the Los Angeles Lakers’ contract offer, which led to him joining the Houston Rockets in free agency instead.

NBA News / Yardbarker

The 25 best NBA players to never play in college

Typically, the path to the NBA for most players is to spend at least a season in college to get high-level basketball and important development under their belts.

Kevin Durant News / Fadeaway World / September 24

Kevin Durant Claps Back After Iman Shumpert Criticizes His Warriors Decision Again: ‘Pull Ya Panties Up’

Kevin Durant and Iman Shumpert have been engaged in a heated back-and-forth about the 37-year-old superstar’s 2016 move to the Warriors. Shumpert once again called out Durant during his recent appearance on the Gil’s Arena show and compared it to a robbery.

Houston Rockets News / Yardbarker / September 24

Odds are against Rockets' optimism about better health

The Houston Rockets are banking on the return of two veterans who missed all or most of last season. They've also added two veterans not known for staying on the court.

Kevin Durant: Not thinking about retirement or final NBA stop

Dorian Finney-Smith left in limbo after second trade of summer

Marcus Smart: Lakers’ Offer In Free Agency Was ‘Disrespectful’

The '5 3-pointer, 5-steal playoff games' quiz

Click here to get Yardbarker's Quiz of the Day emailed to you!

The '4K-yard, 30-TD NFL seasons' quiz

The 'NFL 100-touchdown club' quiz

The 'Most 300-yard, 3-TD NFL games' quiz

The 'NFL all-time passing leaders' quiz

Lonzo Ball News / Houston Rockets on SI / September 23

Should the Houston Rockets Sign Lonzo Ball?

On Wednesday, a recent podcast appearance taken out of context led to speculation that Lonzo Ball had retired from the NBA. Given his injury history over the past few years, including missing two full seasons, retirement would not be an outlandish decision for the 28-year-old.

Houston Rockets News / NBA on ClutchPoints / September 23

Watch Kevin Durant’s hilarious reaction to Amen Thompson’s Media Day session

It was encouraging to see Kevin Durant having fun at the Houston Rockets Media Day. Durant’s cheerfulness was a good omen, especially after his first season with the Rockets did not end as well as he had hoped.

Marcus Smart News / Larry Brown Sports / September 23

Marcus Smart says the Lakers disrespected him

Marcus Smart clearly has no love lost for his former team. The new Houston Rockets guard Smart spoke this week in an interview to Varun Shankar of The Houston Chronicle.

Houston Rockets News / NBA on ClutchPoints / September 23

The ‘Christmas’ reason Ime Udoka believes Rockets are being overlooked

The Houston Rockets were among the teams playing during the NBA’s slate of games on Christmas Day last season, and their complete dismantling of the Los Angeles Lakers that left head coach JJ Redick steaming over his team’s lack of effort.

Amen Thompson News / NBA on ClutchPoints / September 23

ESPN’s Amen Thompson ‘3-and-D’ take has Rockets fans blasting network

The Houston Rockets got training camp underway this week as they prepare for the upcoming 2026-27 season. The Rockets made several big moves this summer, including recently re-signing wing Amen Thompson to a lucrative contract extension.

Houston Rockets News / NBA on ClutchPoints / September 23

How Marcus Smart’s Rockets arrival changes Reed Sheppard’s role

The Houston Rockets added a couple of new pieces in the offseason, one of whom was veteran guard Marcus Smart via free agency. The Rockets have a budding young guard on the roster in Reed Sheppard, and with Smart joining the team, Sheppard’s role is going to change a bit, as per Ben DuBose of Rockets Wire.

Fred VanVleet News / NBA on ClutchPoints / September 23

First look at Fred VanVleet in Rockets training camp after ACL injury

The Houston Rockets have gotten their training camp underway this week as they prepare for the upcoming 2026-27 NBA season. The Rockets will be getting point guard Fred VanVleet back this season after he missed the entire 2025-26 season due to a torn ACL injury suffered just prior to the start of that campaign.

Houston Rockets News / Larry Brown Sports / September 23

Steven Adams sees a bizarre culprit that will affect the NBA

Steven Adams isn’t John Nash, but he just floated a wild game theory – sort of. During the Houston Rockets’ media day on Tuesday, the veteran NBA big man seemingly sent a warning not just to the NBA but also to the NFL about a possible decline in overall performance come November.

Amen Thompson News / Larry Brown Sports / September 23

Amen Thompson reveals first purchase after signing a stunning contract

Amen Thompson is now hundreds of millions richer after landing a contract extension with the Houston Rockets, but you wouldn’t know it from the first item he bought with that money.

Houston Rockets News / Hoops Wire / September 23

Kevin Durant: Not thinking about retirement or final NBA stop

Rockets star Kevin Durant isn’t ready to say Houston will be his final NBA stop. He also doesn’t sound like someone preparing to retire anytime soon. Durant was asked during Houston’s media day whether he has considered finishing his career with the organization.

Fred VanVleet News / TWSN / September 22

Houston Rockets Receive Massive Fred VanVleet Injury Update Before Training Camp

Ahead of the 2026 NBA season getting underway, the Houston Rockets have received encouraging news ahead of the season. Head coach Ime Udoka announced that

NBA News / Yardbarker / September 22

Dorian Finney-Smith left in limbo after second trade of summer

Last summer, Finney-Smith signed with the Houston Rockets, in part because he wanted to return to Texas. Now he's buried on the Atlanta Hawks depth chart after being traded for the second time this summer.

Hawks, Hornets swap veterans in three-player trade

NBA expansion may be too lucrative for owners to pass up

The 'NBA 6th Man of the Year winners' quiz