Houston Rockets Will Have Premier Frontcourt Versatility

The Houston Rockets have seen one of the better offseasons in the NBA, trading for a star, inking players to new deals and doing work in free agency. All in all, they’ve built themselves into a contender in the Western Conference for at least the next few years.

One large part of that is due to their frontcourt, which following a few offseason moves, now looks to be one of the deepest in the league.

The most obviously impactful piece, not just to the team’s frontcourt but potentially in general, is forward Alperen Sengun. At just 22 he earned his first All-Star bid last season, scoring 19.1 points, nabbing 10.3 rebounds and dishing 4.9 assists.

An obvious centerpiece of the team, Sengun has now seen minutes at both the four and five, and is able to toggle as a play-maker between the two. His malleability is just a small part of what should make the team’s big man rotation this year dangerous.

The other half of that equation lies in two new deals for Houston: the re-signing of Steven Adams, and adding former Rocket Clint Capela in free agency.

Adams re-joins the team in a new light, having seen great success in running a double-big lineup alongside Sengun last postseason. He’s one of the best rebounders in the league, and offers potentially the strongest five in the league as an enforcer.

Capela thrives more with athleticism, providing a lob threat who can spark offense with his leaping and catch radius. While he likely doesn't have the bounce he previously did at 31, he should still offer a rotational-level play on both ends.

Both true fives should be able to thrive on their own, but could also be weapons for Sengun should they want to run him at the four.

Regardless of how the rotation or lineups shake out, the Rockets are going to have optionality in the frontcourt moving forward, a vital piece to contending in the modern NBA. The last two champions in Boston and Oklahoma City both had versatile frontcourts, and it seemed the Houston front office recognized that as they enter their 2025-26 campaign.