Houston had the assets to make a real run at Giannis this summer, but a deal wasn’t made, leaving Kevin Durant’s Rockets staring down Year 2 of their “experiment” with some serious questions. That’s a gut punch for a team trying to climb out of the basement, especially when you’ve got a future Hall-of-Famer like KD already on the roster.
Last Season’s Playoff Disaster and The Missing Pieces
Let’s be real, last season ended in absolute shambles for the Rockets. They got bounced in the first round by a “severely depleted” Lakers squad, in what ended up being LeBron James’ final Western Conference series win. Bleacher Report even tweeted about it, showing LeBron dropping 28 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds as LA closed it out in six games. It was rough to watch. And yeah, KD missed a ton of time in that series, but they were also without point guard Fred VanVleet, who was out with a torn ACL, and big man Steven Adams, sidelined after ankle surgery. Missing three key guys like that in a playoff series is a killer, but it doesn’t excuse a first-round exit.
No Giannis? Rockets Double Down on Continuity and Depth
So, what did GM Rafael Stone do after missing out on Giannis? Instead of blowing everything up and acting like Daryl Morey used to, Stone kept coach Ime Udoka. They re-signed Tari Eason to a five-year, $81.5 million extension, which tells you they believe in his long-term future. The Rockets also went out and grabbed veterans Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic for some toughness and shooting, shipping out Finney-Smith, who barely contributed last season. They even snagged Chip Engelland, a shooting coach who won two titles in San Antonio. It looks like they’re choosing depth and continuity, but you have to wonder if it’s enough to actually make a dent.
Guarded Confidence? The Guard Situation Is Still Wild
Now for the biggest question marks: Fred VanVleet is back after that torn ACL, and Steven Adams is also returning from ankle surgery. VanVleet even exercised his player option, so he’s locked in. But Laci Watson from Roundtable Sports had “guarded confidence” back in May, questioning whether VanVleet represented Houston’s long-term answer at point guard. They clearly wanted more options, bringing in Smart as another experienced ballhandler and adding developmental guy Bruce Thornton, plus Reed Sheppard is still part of the equation. Are these enough options? Can they solve the long-term guard situation, or will this patchwork approach leave them wanting more?
So, can the Rockets actually put it all together this season? With KD needing to stay healthy, and huge question marks about their guard situation and the health of key guys like VanVleet and Adams, Houston fans have got to be on edge. The rest of the league is watching to see if this “experiment” finally clicks, or if it’s another early exit for Kevin Durant’s crew.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Golden State of Mind.
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