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In an NBA offseason full of bombshells, few teams made louder noise than the Houston Rockets. After years of steady rebuilding, Houston flipped its trajectory in stunning fashion. General manager Rafael Stone abandoned the long view in favor of a full-throttle push for contention, acquiring 36-year-old superstar Kevin Durant in a blockbuster trade that instantly made the Rockets one of the most feared teams in the West.
They didn’t stop there. Veteran 3-and-D forward Dorian Finney-Smith joined the fold, bringing defensive versatility and playoff seasoning. Former franchise anchor Clint Capela returned in a surprising but smart depth move, slotting in as the team’s third big behind Steven Adams and Alperen Şengün. The cost was steep: Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Cam Whitmore, and the No. 10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft are all gone. But in return, the Rockets have arguably their most complete, veteran-laden roster since the James Harden era.
Yet amid all the excitement, one glaring hole remains: Who is going to run the offense?
The 1 move they should’ve made: Secure a starting point guard
Championship teams don’t just rely on talent; they rely on structure. In the modern NBA, the structure begins with a point guard. Someone who knows how to pace the game, feed scorers like Durant and Jabari Smith Jr. in rhythm, and protect the ball in crunch-time playoff possessions.
Rockets offseason pic.twitter.com/2S0CuPOUB0
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 22, 2025
The Rockets don’t have that player at the moment.
Fred VanVleet is still on the roster, but it’s clear his best years are behind him. The 31-year-old accepted a pay cut this offseason and is better suited for a backup role, playing 15–20 minutes per game as a change-of-pace veteran presence. Asking him to lead a 50-win team deep into the postseason would be unrealistic.
So, where was the move for a lead guard?
Houston still had optionality. With the cap space they didn’t use on Dillon Brooks or Cam Whitmore’s rookie-scale deal, they could have pursued free agents like:
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Malcolm Brogdon: Steady, smart, and playoff-tested. His injury history is real, but his skill set fits Houston like a glove.
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Monte Morris: One of the lowest-turnover floor generals in the league. He doesn’t need to score to be effective.
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Tyus Jones: The ideal game manager. Jones might not command the spotlight, but he’s the kind of player who keeps high-octane teams composed.
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Malik Beasley (as a combo guard): While more of a shooter than creator, he could have slotted into hybrid lineups as a secondary ball handler.
Even a short-term stopgap veteran, someone like Delon Wright or Dennis Schröder, could have provided a level of maturity and pace control that’s currently missing.
But instead, Houston stayed internal.
And perhaps that’s because they believe the answer is already on the roster.
If there’s one Wild Card who could make Houston’s offseason look even more brilliant in retrospect, it’s Amen Thompson.
The No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft has all the raw tools to become the team’s franchise point guard. At 6'7″, Thompson is a special athlete: explosive in transition, disruptive on defense, and gifted with rare vision for his size. He’s a two-way force in theory, the type of big, switchable playmaker that playoff teams dream about.
In flashes during the 2024-25 season, Thompson showed precisely why the Rockets were so high on him. He zoomed past defenders in the open court, threaded impossible passes to cutters, and guarded multiple positions with intensity. But those flashes came with growing pains. His jumper remains shaky. His half-court processing can be rushed. He often plays with the engine of a Ferrari but the steering of a go-kart.
The Rockets now have a choice: keep him in a reduced, developmental role, or throw him into the fire and let him learn on the job.
If the Rockets truly believe they’re contenders now, they must choose the latter.
Why elevating Thompson's role should be a priority
Here’s the truth: No free agent point guard on the market could match Thompson’s ceiling. If he hits, the Rockets not only solve their floor general question, but they raise their ceiling to legitimate title contention.
Durant and Şengün are elite scorers, but they need a point guard who can get them the ball in the right spots. Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason are dangerous in transition, but they need a high-speed initiator who can find them on the break. Finney-Smith, Adams, and Capela are screeners and floor balancers who would thrive next to a creative, athletic lead guard.
Everything about Houston’s new roster suggests a team that can thrive with pace, versatility, and switchability. Thompson unlocks all three.
But only if the Rockets trust him.
Give him the starting role. Give him 30 minutes a night. Let VanVleet mentor him in spurts. Surround him with shooters and vets who understand how to play off a developing point guard. The early season might be rocky, but by April, the dividends could be massive.
What’s at Stake
There’s a scenario where Houston’s offseason looks brilliant but incomplete. Durant will still be a matchup nightmare. The defense will be tough and long. The bench will be loaded with veteran contributors.
But when the game slows down, when the playoffs demand composure and structure, the Rockets risk looking disorganized without a true quarterback.
That’s the worst-case version of this roster.
The best-case version?
Amen Thompson takes the reins. His shooting improves just enough to keep defenders honest. His decision-making stabilizes. His defensive versatility becomes a weapon in switch-heavy lineups.
He doesn’t need to be Chris Paul. He just needs to be steady, explosive, and unafraid.
If Houston had made the external point guard move, maybe they’d feel safer. But if they elevate Thompson and he thrives, the Rockets will have pulled off a rebuild-to-contender arc without ever needing to trade for their point guard of the future.
The Rockets were aggressive, bold, and ambitious in 2025. They swung for the fences and connected on several pitches. Durant, Finney-Smith, and Capela elevate the team’s floor and ceiling in dramatic ways.
A visual representation of the masterclass put on by Rafael Stone for the Rockets this offseason:
🎥 underdogfantasy TikTok pic.twitter.com/ZKngL8nNh9
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) July 8, 2025
But if Houston falls short in the playoffs, it won’t be because of scoring, defense, or size.
It’ll be because they never truly addressed their biggest need: someone to run the show.
Whether Amen Thompson becomes that guy may ultimately define not just this season, but the next five years of Rockets basketball.
