Houston Rockets Current Contract Situations Heading Into Offseason

As the 2025-26 playoffs roll along with eight teams still in contention for a championship, the Houston Rockets are already in offseason mode as the players and the front office prepare for the 2026-27 season. The Rockets are hoping this offseason will help improve the team enough so that they are not sitting at home again this time next season.

The Rockets, for the second straight season, were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, and for the sixth straight season, did not make either the playoffs or the second round.

Rafael Stone and Ime Udoka both spoke about the disappointing ending to this season, and although they agree that some changes could happen, neither would commit to wholesale changes for the upcoming season. The Rockets do not have the cap flexibility to sign any major free agents and currently have no first-round draft picks.

That means, more than likely, any moves made this offseason will be via trade or by resigning their own players who are currently free agents. The Rockets have several players who will be free agents this offseason, so they will have some important decisions to make before next season.

Houston Rockets Player Contracts for the 2026-27 Season

The Rockets have multiple players whose contracts expire at the end of the 2025-26 season next month. Jae’Sean Tate, Aaron Holiday, Josh Okogie, and Jeff Green all were on one-year deals and will be unrestricted free agents.

Tari Eason, after not signing an extension this past season, will be a restricted free agent, meaning if a team signs him to an offer sheet, the Rockets will have to match it, let him walk, or try to work out a sign-and-trade. Eason and the Rockets could not come to an agreement before this season's deadline, with Eason reportedly turning down a 20 millon a year contract.

Out of the several players who will be restricted free agents, Okogie had the best season as he started 32 games for the Rockets last season, which is the most games he has started since the 2020-21 season. Okogie was also on a minimum contract last season, so if he is willing to sign a similar deal, he would be a good option as a 9-12 player on the bench.

Even though nothing has officially come out about any of the other upcoming free agents on the team, with the improvements the Rockets will need to make at the point guard position and bringing in more shooting help, it doesn't seem likely the Rockets will bring back players like Tate or Green, who will be 40 by the time next season starts.

As far as the main rotation players are concerned, there is one major decision to be made: whether the Rockets will extend Amen Thompson this season rather than wait until he becomes a restricted free agent like Eason next season.

Some reports suggest the Rockets will not take the chance and will extend Thompson sooner rather than later, signing the budding young star to a max contract. For the Rockets, they have to figure out whether Thompson will take the next step and become the star they hope he will be. Thompson is coming off his best all-around season, as he finished with a career-high in points and remains one of the NBA's best defenders.

The other main rotation players are all under contract with their salaries guaranteed for next season. Fred VanVleet does have a player option for next season, but all indications suggest he will accept it for his final year of the contract. Of course, VanVleet missed the entire 2025-26 season after suffering a torn right ACL in a team training right before training camp.

The NBA 2026-27 season should officially begin on the business side sometime in June, so until then, we will have to wait to find out in which direction the Rockets will be going next season.