Rockets Labeled with Three Sneaky Weaknesses by ESPN Analysts

Coming off a breakout 52-30 season, the Houston Rockets followed it up with what many consider to be a near-perfect offseason. Adding superstar Kevin Durant and 3-and-D wing Dorian Finney-Smith, bringing back fan-favorite Clint Capela, retaining Steven Adams and Fred VanVleet and extending Jabari Smith Jr. and Ime Udoka, Houston looks poised for the championship picture.

While the Rockets have clearly inserted themselves into the upper-echelon of the league's contenders, they're by no means a perfect team. ESPN analyst Michael C. Wright recently broke down what under-the-radar flaws the 2025-2026 Rockets squad may have, rattling off three reasons for slight concern.

Durability

"We haven't witnessed any notable drop-off in play in recent years, but Rockets' new additionKevin Durant turns 37 heading into the season after coming off consecutive campaigns in which he played 62 games or more for the first time since the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. Houston plays a physical style that will test the veteran's durability. But the Rockets are deep on the wing after adding veteran Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency to replace Dillon Brooks in a group that includes Tari Eason and Jae'Sean Tate."

This concern seems to be one that the Rockets are aware of too, as they've loaded up on depth both at the wing and in the frontcourt to support the older players on the roster. It's unreasonable to expect a soon-to-be 37-year-old Durant to stay healthy for an entire regular season and playoff run, so having fresh legs like Smith and Eason to step in is crucial.

The same can be said about the big-man rotation, which consists of Alperen Sengun, Adams and Capela. The latter two are both on the wrong side of 30, and will likely rely on each other to take the workload down and split it.

Staying healthy is key for the Rockets, especially for their newfound alpha, Durant.

Backcourt consistency

"Durant will fill the scoring void left by last season's leading scorer, Jalen Green, who was traded to Phoenix. But there are concerns regarding whether Houston will be able to lean on consistent offensive production in the backcourt from Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard, who will take on a more prominent role this season after averaging nearly 13 minutes as a rookie. VanVleet stepped up his production in the postseason, averaging 18.7 points and shooting 43.5% from 3 after hitting 34.5% from deep during the regular season. The Rockets are also looking for rising star Thompson to make a leap as a shooter in his third season."

As the article states, there's not many questions on Durant's ability to replace –– and probably outperform –– Green's scoring production. Where the worries lie is between the guard rotation, which is made up of a trio of inconsistent offensive players.

VanVleet has alternated his 3-point shooting percentage in each of the last four years, with next season in line to be a strong shooting one if the trend keeps up. He'll also benefit from the gravity of Durant now, which could free up many more open looks.

As for Thompson and Sheppard, those two are incomplete players in their own regards. Thompson has yet to develop a jumpshot, which could bite him in a playoff setting, and Sheppard hasn't strung together efficient offense for any set of games in his young NBA career yet.

3-point shooting

"Consistent perimeter marksmanship that complements Durant's firepower also poses a slight concern. Finney-Smith should help there, though; he has averaged 39.8% or better from 3-point range in each of the past three seasons."

The Rockets ranked 21st in the association for 3-point percentage last season, shooting 35.3 percent from beyond-the-arc as a team. That mark was the second worst among all playoff teams, leading only the Orlando Magic.

There's plenty of shooters on the roster capable of making open threes at a solid rate, but not many are true plus-shooters who draw attention. Some of the young players can certainly grow and develop a more threating jumpshot, but for now, Durant and –– perhaps VanVleet –– are the only true floor-spacers on the roster.