Houston Rockets: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Rockets Potential Second-Round Target Withdraws from Draft, Returns to College

The 2026 NBA Draft class is viewed as one of the best draft classes that we've seen. Especially in recent years. The top of the class is rich. AJ Dybantsa is expected to go first overall, but Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer are both highly talented and touted prospects.

Features

The Morning Bark

The Quiz of the Day

Could Hornets be sneaky fit for Rockets’ Jabari Smith Jr?

The Charlotte Hornets probably aren’t landing Jabari Smith Jr. this summer. But much like the recent Jalen Williams speculation involving the Atlanta Hawks, there’s at least enough basketball logic here to make the idea interesting.

Houston Rockets News / The Dream Shake / May 22

Rockets have a (nearly) unsolvable problem

Some problems have multiple solutions. Other problems have no solution, and that’s why competing hypothetical solutions seem viable to different people.

Stephon Castle News / Houston Rockets on SI / May 22

Stephon Castle’s Strong Play Raises Questions About Rockets Draft Choice

Stephon Castle put on a nice move and drove to the basket in the second quarter of Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. He then threw down an absolutely incredible poster slam dunk over Oklahoma City Thunder center Isiah Hartenstein.

New York Knicks News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The '35-5-5 Conference Finals games' quiz

How many of the players to score 35 points, dish out five assists and haul in five rebounds in a Conference Final game at least once can you name in six minutes?

The '600-point NBA postseasons' quiz

The 'Last 40-point NBA Playoff games' quiz

The 'Active NBA Playoff 3's leaders' quiz

Kevin Durant News / Houston Rockets on SI / May 21

The Rockets May See A Better Version of Kevin Durant

The Houston Rockets are moving forward, expecting to take another step next season without making a major move for another star. Obviously, if a deal appears the front office can't refuse, the team could look majorly different heading into next season.

NBA News / Yardbarker

The best homegrown player for every NBA franchise

As an NBA fan, it hits different when a team's best player is a guy the franchise nurtured from the very start. There's a greater attachment to stars who have been there since the start, who have bled the team's colors since the start of their careers.

Houston Rockets News / Houston Rockets on SI / May 21

On This Day in Rockets History: The Kiss of Death

The Houston Rockets have had some special moments during their storied history. Obviously, a lot of the great times in the organization were during the back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995.

Houston Rockets News / The Dream Shake / May 21

Rockets 2025-2026 season in review: Jabari Smith Jr.

In sports, there are three types of players. Those who are great regular season players, who take their greatness to a whole other level in the playoffs.

Houston Rockets News / Houston Rockets on SI / May 21

Mock Draft: Rockets Address Lack of Bench Depth in Second Round

The Houston Rockets' bench was a major issue during the 2025-26 NBA season. The Rockets' only viable scoring threat from the second unit was Reed Sheppard.

Trey Murphy News / Houston Rockets on SI / May 21

Mock Trade: Rockets Land Trey Murphy from Pelicans

The Houston Rockets could go big game hunting this summer, for the second year in a row. Granted, Kevin Durant landed in their lap last summer, as he was available for a much lower cost than usual.

James Harden News / Houston Rockets on SI / May 21

Cavs Loss in Game 1 Illustrates Rockets' Reason for Passing on James Harden

James Harden is one of the greatest players in the history of the Houston Rockets franchise. In fact, some people have him ahead of Hakeem Olajuwon, who is easily and undeniably one of the greatest players in NBA history. And there's a case to be made.

NBA News / Houston Rockets on SI / May 21

Rockets Reportedly Interested in Mavericks' Kyrie Irving

The Houston Rockets are facing a big offseason. Their roster needs work, even if they are expecting to get Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams back next year. Adams will be 33 and coming off his fourth consecutive injury-shortened season.

NBA News / Yardbarker

The most unlikely 50-point games in NBA history

If an NBA player ends a game with 30 points, that's generally a great night. 40 points is fantastic, and 50 points is an event. That's especially true when that type of scoring outburst comes from an unexpected source.

Houston Rockets News / The Dream Shake / May 21

Is Rafael Stone expecting too much from Reed Sheppard?

The next Steph Curry. The next Steve Nash. The next Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf…the next Brent Price. The first Reed Sheppard – existentially speaking. He is not a Kevin O’Connor comparison – He is a solitary unit.

Houston Rockets News / NBA on ClutchPoints / May 21

2 players Rockets must trade after ugly playoff series loss to Lakers

A few weeks have passed since the Houston Rockets’ 2025-26 campaign came to a dispiriting end at the hands of the shorthanded Los Angeles Lakers. This

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

The 'ERA leaders since 2003' quiz

The '35-5-5 Conference Finals games' quiz

The 'NBA MVPs' quiz

The 'NBA steals-per-game leaders' quiz

Houston Rockets News / Houston Rockets on SI / May 20

The Rockets Can't Be Saved By Just Any Superstar

The Houston Rockets are clearly not at a level to compete against the best the league has to offer. Their scoring potential is limited compared to teams that are fully staffed with a wide range of archetypes and players who can do multiple things well.

Fred VanVleet News / Houston Rockets on SI / May 20

Restructuring Fred VanVleet's Contract Would Do Wonders for the Rockets

Fred VanVleet's ACL tear last September was a gut punch to the Houston Rockets' title hopes. High expectations were entering this past season, but they had to compete without a true point guard, and that opened up for a lot of weaknesses.

Houston Rockets News / The Dream Shake / May 20

Rockets GM Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka don’t seem to be on the same page

The Houston Rockets have some work to do, from a roster standpoint. This couldn’t have been made more obvious following Houston’s disappointing first-round postseason series against the Los Angeles Lakers, who were playing without their best player in Luka Doncic, while their second-best player in Austin Reaves was limited to just two games.

Houston Rockets News / Houston Rockets on SI / May 20

Rockets Add Much Needed Ingredients in Latest Mock Draft

The Houston Rockets have a major offseason ahead of them this summer. The team needs to bolster their roster in a major way, as they lag behind the top teams in the Western Conference by a wide margin. And Houston has clear roster needs.

Kevin Durant News / Ball Exclusives / May 20

Kevin Durant stars in hilarious Nike ad alongside Drake

Nike is now showing off the new signature shoe of Houston Rockets star Kevin Durant, doing so in a hilarious way. In a new ad for Durant’s Nike KD 19, he’s seen showing off a few ridiculously ugly shoe concepts to Drake, who gasses up the designs regardless.

Victor Wembanyama News / Yardbarker / May 21

The NBA will never be the same after Victor Wembanyama’s masterpiece

There are nights when you watch an NBA playoff game and you can literally feel the tectonic plates of the league shifting through an individual player's first legendary performance.

Excited Magic Johnson compares Victor Wembanyama to Steph Curry

Lakers' LeBron James outlines timeline for deciding plans for this upcoming season

Depth shines for Thunder in bounce-back Game 2 win over Spurs

The 'NBA Defensive Players of the Year' quiz

Houston Rockets News / Houston Rockets on SI / May 20

Why Jabari Smith Jr. Can Take the Houston Rockets to New Heights

Uncertainty occupies the Houston Rockets' rotations this offseason. Trade rumors are dominating headlines surrounding the organization, with them potentially sacrificing the young core for one of a few stars expected to be available.

Reed Sheppard News / The Dream Shake / May 20

Rockets 2025-2026 season in review: Reed Sheppard

DISCLOSURE NOTICE: Reed Sheppard is the author’s adopted nephew.* Rockets fans got to see a lot more of Reed Sheppard this season. Which is nice for a player picked third in the NBA draft.

Fred VanVleet News / Houston Rockets on SI / May 19

Why Fred VanVleet is Both Right and Wrong about the Rockets' Season being a Success

The Houston Rockets' 2025-26 campaign was identical to their 2024-25 season, in more ways than not. The team won 52 games in both seasons and were early outs in the postseason, falling in the first round each time.

Houston Rockets News / NBA Draft on SI / May 19

Assessing the Houston Rockets' Biggest Needs at the 2026 NBA Draft

Losing in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight season was a tough pill for the Houston Rockets to swallow. They had legitimate title hopes with the arrival of Kevin Durant, pairing him with a young core that showed serious development the year prior.

Amen Thompson News / HITC / May 19

Why Amen Thompson’s max deal isn’t guaranteed for Houston

Amen Thompson is expected to land a major extension with the Houston Rockets, but a full maximum contract is not guaranteed. The 23-year-old is now eligible after averaging 18.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists last season, all career-high marks.

Houston Rockets News / Larry Brown Sports / May 17

Fred VanVleet addresses Kevin Durant’s ‘curse’ amid burner account accusations

Fred VanVleet believes Kevin Durant may be his own worst enemy when it comes to drawing negative attention from the media. Durant became a lightning rod of controversy in his first season with the Houston Rockets when a social media account allegedly belonging to Durant was leaked.