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The Houston Rockets have played well above expectations throughout the 2024-25 season thus far. While many expected them to take another leap after putting up a 41-win 2023-24 campaign, not too many foresaw that they would end up being one of the best teams in the association. Entering their Monday night clash against the reigning champion Boston Celtics on the road, the Rockets are boasting a 30-14 record — the third-best in the league at present.
This makes the Rockets a legitimate contender for the 2025 NBA championship, although it must be said that the road ahead of them in that regard will be difficult to navigate. After all, while Houston may have one of the best defenses in the league at the moment, there are moments when their offense sputters, and there is a general sense around the team that they may be one major piece away from being a championship favorite.
Regardless, it doesn't seem as though the Rockets will be making a blockbuster trade to boost their championship odds this season, preferring instead to let their young core develop in its current trajectory. But there have been some rumblings, as per Brian Windhorst of ESPN, that the Rockets may have something in the works.
“Houston has all of these… They’ve got a bunch of expiring contracts, they got a bunch of draft assets but I have not heard, and I don’t have all the information, but I have not heard nothing,” Windhorst said on ESPN's The Hoop Collective, via HoopsHype.
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This sentiment was echoed by Tim MacMahon, who said that the Rockets have indeed been operating as though they're not going to make any “significant trade”. If something isn't broken, then there is no need at all to fix things, and Houston appears to be subscribing to this line of thinking by heart.
Rockets look to bolster frontcourt depth via trade?
Per ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel, the Rockets have reportedly been looking into the possibility of trading for Portland Trail Blazers big man Robert Williams III — an athletic rim protector who has thrived under current Houston head coach Ime Udoka back when they were on the Celtics.
Williams will slot in on the Rockets' rotation as the primary backup center; having an athletic force like him solidify an already-incredible defense would be such a luxury for them, especially in matchups that target Alperen Sengun in pick and rolls. A backup role, however, will be all Williams gets on the Rockets considering his past availability issues.
