Should Rockets Consolidate Depth for Even More Talent?

The Houston Rockets have been widely thought of as the winners of this year’s offseason, pushing chips in for a star, retaining already-owned talent and thriving in free agency.

All in all, the team seems primed to be one of the top contenders in the league, armed with Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson and a host of other talented contributors, both veteran and youthful.

In going down the depth chart, the case could be made that the Rockets are genuinely the deepest team in the NBA, though the now-reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder likely own more top-end talent.

Still, given just how solid through the Rockets are, there will be pushes from fans and pundits alike for Houston to further consolidate should things ever go South. But should the organization actually buy into that ideology and consolidate their assets? The simple answer is no. 

Aside from simply hanging onto a talented roster carefully crafted by the front office, there's plenty of reasons for Houston to stay pat with their current group. The first of which is that their depth will be vital during the regular season and beyond.

The injury bug has been inescapable for many teams the past few years, and while the Rockets would certainly like to avoid it, it's unlikely they can go 82 games and further without injuries. Especially when their newly added superstar is closing in on 37. With a built-out rotation that includes guards, forwards and centers, Houston will not only be allowed to rest Durant plenty, but remain competitive in his or others potential absences.

Additionally, Houston lacks for little in terms of team-building at the moment. While issues are certain to rear their head this season, there's presently no real problems to address. They have talented play-makers in VanVleet, Thompson and Sengun, an all-time scorer in Durant, and a highly versatile frontcourt rotation. Not to mention, the further development of second-year guard Reed Sheppard could solve all sorts of problems.

Suffice it to say, the Rockets should enter next season with the group they've acquired this offseason. And sticking with it through a gauntlet Western Conference could very well be the correct decision.