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Sep 30, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) speaks during Houston Rockets media day. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

What Major Events Are Happening for the Houston Rockets in September?

Originally posted on Houston Rockets on SI
By Lachard Binkley | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 3:00 PM ET

The Houston Rockets have gone from a team rebuilding and in the lottery year in and year out, while valuing player development over wins, to an up-and-coming team that surprised a lot of people last season, and now a bona fide championship contender after the Kevin Durant trade.

Even before the trade, the Rockets were seen as one of the teams on the rise, having won 52 games and finished second in the tough Western Conference. Now add in the future Hall of Famer, and you have the recipe for an exciting upcoming season.

This offseason has also seen the Rockets active in free agency, with the signings of Dorian Finney-Smith, Clint Capela, and the resigning of Aaron Holiday, Steven Adams, and Jeff Green. The Capela signing was the most surprising, considering the Rockets had already re-signed Adams, and the fact that Capela is still, at the very least, one of the best backup centers in basketball and could still start for multiple teams.

Capela is willing to play at times as the third-string center, which is a result of the Rockets' use of the double-big lineup, and how it may expand this upcoming season, as well as how good the Rockets are expected to be in 2025-26. Even though the excitement of the offseason has slowed down a bit as we enter the NBA lull period of August and most of September, it will be ramping back up in exactly one month.

End of September opens a new era for the Houston Rockets

Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The quiet of the offseason starts to dissipate as we approach the end of September, with the Rockets' media day and the start of training camp scheduled for Sept. 29 and Sept. 30, respectively.

The 2024 media day was largely uneventful, as the majority of the same team that finished 2023 was back for 2024. Adams was the one new addition to media day, even though the Rockets had traded for him before the 2023 trade deadline. With Adams missing the entire season, he only spoke to the media once after the trade.

This media day, however, will not be your standard event. Since the blockbuster trade earlier this offseason, Durant has not held an official press conference as a Houston Rocket. His first Rockets press conference will be on Sept. 29, which is also his birthday and media day.

Usually, during media day, the majority of the team comes to the podium, so fans should also hear from the newest Rockets, Finney-Smith, and the returning player, Clint Capela. The real fun starts the following Tuesday as the Rockets will begin their 2025 training camp.

Before last season, training camp was held in different locations outside of Houston, like Galveston and Lake Charles in 2023. Last season, with the opening of the Rockets' new practice facility, they stayed in Houston and practiced there. We have not received official word yet on whether they will be in Houston again this year, but it is more than likely that they will be.

Training camp will also be the first time Rockets fans will see Durant on the court with his new teammates as the Rockets prepare for their first preseason game on Oct. 6. With them potentially practicing in Houston, it's possible they practice from Tuesday to Sunday with only one or two days off, similar to last season.

Conclusion

The excitement level around the Rockets is at its highest since the days of James Harden's prime. It has been a long road for Rockets fans who suffered through years of mediocrity and losses. With August almost behind us and September on the horizon, the Rockets fans can get ready for the beginning of a new era starting Sept. 29.

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

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