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Rafael Stone and Ime Udoka Talk End of Season and Houston Rockets Future

Originally posted on Houston Rockets on SI
By Lachard Binkley  |  Last updated May 6, 2025 5:14 PM ET
Lachard Binkley

The Houston Rockets had their best season in the last five seasons as they finished 52-30 and finished second in the Western Conference. Alperen Sengun made his first All-Star Game, Amen Thompson continued to show he is one of the best young players in the NBA, Jalen Green had a more consistent season and the Rockets garnered respect throughout the league.

Despite the season coming to an end with their Game 7 loss Sunday, the Rockets feel they have a bright future and will be even more motivated to take that next step in 2025-26. There has been speculation all season when it comes to the Rockets possibly making a major trade.

The Rockets had been linked to everyone from Trae Young to Kevin Durant throughout the season. They decided to stay pat at the trade deadline to see how the season played out. Now that the Rockets' season is over, the rumor mill has started to heat up again for the Rockets.

The Rockets are in a great position regarding roster construction and ability to pull off a significant trade. The Rockets not only have multiple potential high-value future draft picks, but they also have large short-term contracts and young players on team-friendly contracts

The Rockets are one of the few teams in the NBA who have the assets to make a blockbuster trade but could also bring back the same team and still win more games in 2025-26 than they did in 2024-25.

Tuesday, Rafael Stone and Ime Udoka spoke with the media about the 2024-25 season and also the future of the team. Rockets on SI asked Stone how he weighs bringing in a star player who could accelerate the championship time frame, versus waiting to find out if you already have that superstar on your current roster.

“Plan A was always to develop our current group and hope that we can be good enough within it," Stone said."

Stone also talked about Steven Adams and the possibility of him coming back to the team next season.

Stone also said he does not discuss contract negotiations when asked about Fred VanVleet's upcoming team option but did discuss how important VanVleet is to the team. Stone had a similar response to a question about Jabari Smith and Tari Eason's possible upcoming rookie extensions.

Stone went on to discuss continuity and its essentiality, but ultimately, they are there to build a championship team, and if an opportunity presents itself, they could still make a move or a series of moves if it improves the team.

Udoka spoke about how much the team has grown this season and how important the upcoming offseason will be for everyone, including himself, to evaluate what went right and also what went wrong. One player who took a step back this season on the court was Cam Whitmore.

Whitmore had a standout rookie season as he was one of the surprises from the 2023 draft. Many believed he would have an even bigger role this season, but Whitmore would spend most of his time on the bench or in the G League. Udoka was asked about comments Whitmore made earlier in the season about not knowing his role on the team.

Udoka also spoke about Amen Thompson's high ceiling and plans to have the coaching staff spend even more time with the players this offseason, considering there isn't as much international basketball this summer.

Surely, either person on the stage would much rather have been preparing for Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves instead of discussing the end of the season and the future. Still, it will be one of the most critical offseasons for the Houston Rockets in a long time.


This article first appeared on Houston Rockets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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