Rockets Have a Certain Versatility in Their Rotation

There aren't many NBA teams that have the same versatility as the Houston Rockets. After going 52-30 last season, the Rockets got even better with new veterans joining the team. The group is headlined by Kevin Durant, one of the most talented scorers in league history, supplemented by a young core of Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and more.

Most people didn't anticipate Houston's rise to prominence last season. The team has made consistent jumps over the last few seasons, with an 11-win increase from 2024 to 2025. The Rockets snatched up the second seed in the Western Conference, but a lack of offense resulted in a first-round upset at the hands of the Golden State Warriors.

This offseason, Houston fixed a lot of those offensive holes. Durant can pose as a go-to scorer, but the signing of Dorian Finney-Smith and the development of many young players should result in an improvement on that side of the floor.

Many wonder who could start for the Rockets this season with such a deep rotation. The first five are not set in stone, but anticipate Durant, Sengun and Fred VanVleet as locks.

Thompson should be a starter, but his lack of shooting could mean that he comes off the bench in certain situations. It wouldn't be ludicrous for Reed Sheppard, arguably the best pure shooter on the team, to step up against certain opponents.

On top of that, Jabari Smith Jr. is a threat at 6-foot-10. He showed even more potential last season and is a contender for the Most Improved Player award. We could also see more of Ime Udoka's 'double big' lineup of Sengun and Steven Adams, one that saw a lot of success late in the year.

Houston has perhaps the most versatility in terms of height, with plenty of towering players. Sengun, Smith, Adams and Clint Capela are expected to be in the rotation, but there are also smaller players such as VanVleet, Sheppard and Josh Okogie. It brings up a lot of questions about who will start or receive the most minutes, but it's a great problem to have.