The Houston Rockets Are Doing Everything Right
The Houston Rockets were one of the biggest stories in the NBA this past season, going from missing the playoffs entirely in 2024 to being the second seed in a brutal Western Conference in 25. Moreover, with the internal improvement and a strong 2025 NBA offseason, Eime Udoka and the Houston Rockets are poised to take yet another step in the right direction. A big reason for this is the offensive prowess and consistency that the newly acquired Kevin Durant will bring to the team. He might be turning 37 years of age in September, but he’s coming off a season where he averaged 26.6 points per game on 52.7% from the field, 43% from three, and had a 64% true shooting percentage. He fits with pretty much any team because he’s still a lethal threat for the mid-range that defenses have to respect, shooting an absurd 53% on 4.6 mid-range attempts a game this past season. He’s still a highlevel shot maker that can operate off the dribble, create separation, and hit 49% of his pull-up jumpers. And he’s still a great catch andoot threat as someone who shot 46% on his 4.8’s catch and shoot three-point attempts a game. What he also adds to this Rockets team is efficient isolation scoring that they didn’t have before with him placing the 93rd percentile in isolation scoring last season, being sixth in the league in isolation points per game and shooting 56% on 3.4 shot attempts a game. Katie doesn’t drive as much as he did in his prime and isn’t going to provide the same rim pressure he did back then, but he can still put the ball on the floor and attack closeouts to get to the rim. And he actually shot 73% within 5 ft of the basket this past season. As a ball handler, Katie is a good playmaker who can operate well in a two-man game with bigs, which he couldn’t maximize given the lack of front court depth the Suns had. but he and ShenGun will form a nice partnership in the immediate future. I could definitely see the Rockets utilizing him in pick and pop situations as well. Defensively, he’s a plus defender with length, who is committed to his perimeter assignments. And just as importantly, he can serve as a lead option for the Rockets in the clutch or when they’re struggling to create offense in the half court, providing them with consistency in the NBA playoffs. Jaylen Green is a fine player in his own right, but you didn’t know exactly what you’re going to get from him night in and night out. And there’s nothing that exemplifies this more than the first round series against the Warriors in 2025. He dropped seven points in game one of that series on three of 15 shooting. Dropped 38 points in a pivotal game to win in that series, but failed to crack 15 points in any of the remaining five games of that series, shooting just 35% from the field and 23% from three in those games. Katy will be a step up from that in the postseason so that the team isn’t solely reliant on a plethora of Shenon post touches and Fantle shotmaking to bail them out when the offense goes stagnant. Plus, there is wing stop in Phoenix, so Jaylen Green will be all right. If you’re enjoying this video, be sure to leave a like as each like makes a massive difference. Be sure to sub to the channel for even more content like this. The Kevin Durant trade in conclusion actually set a record for the most teams involved in a deal at a whopping seven teams. And in that deal, the Rockets unfortunately had to part with Dylan Brooks. However, they’ve been able to strengthen their wing depth with the signing of Dorian Finny Smith. DFS has always been a massive impact player due to his ability to defend and knock down created three points looks, shooting 41% from three on five attempts game. this past season with virtually all those attempts being catch and shoot attempts where he shot 39.9% on 188 attempts. But he also shot 43% on corner threes on a total of 125 attempts helping defensively cross the perimeter for the Houston Rockets is a freak of nature and Amen Thompson who has made an incredible impression in his first couple seasons with the squad. In a league with some of the best athletes the world has to offer, Almond is among them and is one of the most versatile players in the league. At 67 with a seven foot wingspan, an unparalleled combination of speed and agility, and a strong motor, Aman can jump from point guard to small forward to even the four and still be the most impactful player on the floor. Offensively, he can be impactful through his use athletic gifts and footwork that allow him to not only get into the paint, but also finish at an absurd 69% within 5 ft of the basket on 392 attempts. As one of the most gifted athletes in the league, Aman trots like a gazelle in the open floor and is a force when going downhill. He’s key in transition as both an initiator, passer, and finisher. Being able to run the floor exceptionally well, outpace everyone on the floor and fill in the lane to easily get opportunities and even operate as a lop target. As the ball handler, he’s great at pushing the ball in transition. is very dangerous due to his ability to accelerate and decelerate quickly. Has great footwork, ball control, concentration, and body control to not only navigate the floor well, but evade defenders through in-n-out dribbles, side steps, euro steps, and absorb and finish through contact. His body control, hang time, and overall acrobatic ability are truly special and factor greatly as to why he’s able to get off some of the most absurd finishes at difficult angles while also being able to detonate at the rim. Moreover, those also contribute to him being effective in the half court, being able to take defenders off the dribble and get to the rim and use screens that maneuver around bigs and drop coverage and finish over great length. Offensively, he is a very effective cutter who dives in from the baseline in the wing. He’s effective off the catch and provides rim pressure that aids him as a playmaker. Defensively, he’s excellent at staying in front of offensive players, is a good screen navigator, is a good help defender, can cause havoc in passing lanes, can make recoveries to the perimeter, and has great hands. The big question for him next season is whether he can develop his outside jumper, something that will open up his game further and catapult him into being a much improved creator. However, he’s only entering year three and has a long road ahead for development. In terms of the best young cores across the NBA, the Rockets have to be in the elite category due to their other young pieces in Albin Shenune, Jabar Smith Jr., Tyrie Een, and even a player like Reed Shepard who didn’t get much playing time last season. He finally became an NBA all-star this past season due to his outstanding play and being a massive reason why the Rockets finished with the second seed in the conference. as one of the best sensors in the NBA at 19 points per game, 10 rebounds, and five assists. He punishes defenses with his post game and underrated shotmaking ability. Being a great interior scorer with his space up game and ability to soft defenders, and his ability to attack players off the dribble and score in the pick and roll. With that, he’s a very creative passer with him being cognizant of where his teammates are across the floor and he punishes teams on kickouts, passes out of the post, out of the roll, and in transition. Jabari Smith Jr. just earned a massive extension from the Houston Rockets and the talents and projected impact for the upcoming season are clearly apparent. His stats might not jump off the page and he probably was projected to hit threes at a higher clip given his projections in college, but he still provides needed spacing on this Rockets team and really showed his value in the NBA playoffs. He shot 56% from three and proved to be a player who can hit catch and shoot attempts, operate off catch, get to his spots, and hit the pull-up jumper. And when tasked with doing more in the offense, he’s shown his shotmaking ability, being able to hit turnaround jumpers and operate well out of the post. What actually goes understated about him is his defensive ability with him being quick on his feet, having great activity, and making the right rotations. Other factors in the front court are Stephen Adams and Clint Capella. Adams is obviously one of the best offensive rebounders in the league and we saw that in the playoffs with that double big lineup with him and Shenon. And Capella is back for vibes. He’s a good finisher out of pick and roll a solid rim protector and is somehow only 31 years of age despite playing under Kevin McCale when Dwight Howard was still rocking. I expect to see even more of Reach Shepard this past season as a valuable movement shooter on this team. And Fraan Vleet gives this team a steady presence at the point guard position who you can trust in big moments. In terms of the Rockets floor next season, they’re undoubtedly a playoff team and won’t need the playin to qualify at their ceiling. They’re definitely a title team. They were an elite defense last season and will be fine on that end this upcoming season and the addition of Kevin Durant will definitely boost their offense. They’re well coached. They add the personnel to make a deep run. And this is the combination of talents that can win you a championship in the modern NBA. I’m still taking the Thunder as the favorite out west since they have proven it on the biggest stage. But since 2019, no NBA champion has even made it past the second round the following season. demonstrating the great parody that exists in the NBA. With that being said, let me know your thoughts on the Houston Rockets and how far they’ll go next season. What are your thoughts on the Chem Durant trade? The Rockets give up too much or was this a steal of a trade? Plus, what do you think Katie’s impact will be in this first season in Houston? Next, let me know how high you think the ceiling of this team will be. Is this a team that’s just a sec round out, or is this a title team? If you want to know more about one of the biggest winners of this NBA off season, check out my video on the Atlanta Hawks and why they should be a contender in the East.
With additions of Kevin Durant and Dorian Finney-Smith, Houston Rockets have had an elite offseason and look to be serious contenders next season under Ime Udoka and a core of Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, and Jabari Smith Jr.
