Year one with Kevin Durant didn't go as the Houston Rockets hoped. The 2026-27 NBA season is shaping up as a basketball do-over.
The Rockets will largely run it back with their roster mostly intact after a disappointing first-round playoff exit in the wake of their much-hyped Durant acquisition. Houston is hopeful the return of veteran point guard Fred VanVleet, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, can unlock a talented core that never seemed to fit together consistently without an established primary ballhandler.
The Rockets have locked up young stars Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson to long-term deals in recent offseasons, but this may be their last chance to maximize the Durant era in Houston. The 37-year-old has a player option
in his contract for next year. There's enough talent for the Rockets to contend with the best teams in the Western Conference if they've sorted out the chemistry issues with Durant a season later than expected.
Here's a breakdown of the Houston Rockets' offseason moves and what to expect from them heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:
Houston Rockets offseason review
- Record last season: 52-30 (5th in Western Conference)
- Playoff finish: Lost to Lakers in 1st round (4-3)
- Coach: J.J. Redick (3rd season)
- 2026-27 title odds: +5000 (per BetMGM)
- Projected record: 55-27
- Offseason grade: C-
Key roster additions
- G Marcus Smart (free agent signing)
- G Bogdan Bogdanovic (free agent signing)
- G Bruce Thornton (No. 31 pick in 2026 NBA draft)
- F/C Oscar Tshiebwe (free agent signing)
Key roster losses
- G Josh Okogie (free agent)
- F Dorian Finney-Smith (trade)
Biggest question entering training camp
Can the return of Fred VanVleet solve the Rockets' point guard woes?
- The Rockets never actually settled on a full-time replacement for VanVleet last season, turning to 2024 first-round pick Reed Sheppard and 23-year-old Amen Thompson at point guard while embracing oversized lineups and a bully ball approach. The strategy fizzled in the most important games of the season, particularly after a season-ending ankle injury suffered by center Steven Adams. VanVleet expects to be ready for the start of the 2026-27 season, and the Rockets added veteran Marcus Smart and rookie Bruce Thornton to bolster their backcourt depth. But this team's ceiling will depend on how VanVleet looks at age 32 coming back from a torn ACL.
Projected starting lineup and rotation
Starters
- G Fred VanVleet
- G Amen Thompson
- F Jabari Smith Jr.
- F Kevin Durant
- C Alperen Sengun
Rotation players
- G Reed Sheppard
- G Marcus Smart
- G Bogdan Bogdanovic
- F Tari Eason
- C Steven Adams
- C Clint Capela
What to expect in 2026-27 season
The Rockets theoretically have the roster best-positioned to challenge the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder among the next tier of Western Conference contenders. If VanVleet is still capable of being a major contributor at point guard, it should facilitate better offense in crunch time where placing the burden completely on Durant is too much at this point in his career. Expect the Rockets to eclipse 50 wins again and make a deeper playoff run than they did a year ago.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Houston Rockets season preview: Lineup, roster and prediction
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