Houston Rockets Deemed Longterm Contenders

Although the Rockets wound up losing, this series was a great experience for the Houston core as the young players got their first taste of NBA playoff basketball.

Concluding the 2024-25 season, there became one certainty among the Houston front office and players, which was that the Rockets would be back in the playoffs and competing for a championship very soon.

It was then up to general manager Rafael Stone to make key moves to get this franchise in shape for the following season, and to his credit he probably had one of the best offseasons any NBA general manager could have this summer.

Stone pulled strings to make a move for future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant, which became one of the biggest stories this summer. He was praised for this move because Houston did not lose much of its young core aside from Jalen Green; a part of this trade was also Dillon Brooks, the Rockets' 2025 No. 10 pick, which wound up being Duke's Khaman Maluach and five second-rounders.

With the move for the elite scorer, people around the basketball realm believe this is a prime moment for the Rockets to compete for an NBA title, and some also feel this could be the 36-year-old Durant's last chance at a third ring.

ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Kevin Polton chimed in on the championship window that the Rockets now have in their recent article NBA All-In Tiers.

"After dealing for Kevin Durant, the Rockets hope to follow in Oklahoma City's footsteps. Adding Durant opens Houston's championship window after a first-round loss," said the writers. "Although the 36-year-old future Hall of Famer doesn't scream 'extended window,' the Rockets can pivot around younger stars Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson using a high-upside cache of future picks."

Of course, following the Durant trade, Houston also added Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela to the fray. Plus, their general manager Rafael Stone, also made some key re-signings this offseason, restructuring Fred VanVleet's extension and keeping Steven Adams off the free agent market.

Going into the 2025-26 season, the Rockets are heavily favored to make the Western Conference playoffs and make a deeper run than the year before. If all players can stay healthy and on top of their game, then there is no reason why Houston can not compete for an NBA title next year.