The Houston Rockets' season has officially ended, and the trade rumors are already swirling for a franchise on the rise. Despite the bitter Game 7 home loss to the Golden State Warriors, year two under head coach Ime Udoka was a resounding success.

The Rockets won 52 games and finished with the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. The rebuild from the James Harden era is complete, and this franchise is back to its contending ways. However, several significant issues still reared their ugly head during the Warriors series.

The headline reason the Rockets are going home is their lack of perimeter scoring and three-point shooting. Starting point guard Fred VanVleet did all he could from behind the arc, but Houston did not get enough consistency from players like Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and Tari Eason down the stretch.

With a war chest of tradeable assets and draft capital, the front office can pursue several big splashes this offseason. One of the first rumored trades that was picking up steam was a deal for all-time great Kevin Durant.

However, senior NBA reporter Jake Fischer for Yahoo Sports poured some cold water on those rumors, giving a detailed response outlining Houston's viewpoint on this potential blockbuster for the Suns' superstar.

“It was strongly conveyed to The Stein Line going into the playoffs that a Houston trade pursuit of Durant had become even ‘less likely' than previously thought. The Suns naturally want the Rockets to want Durant and, according to league sources, did try to engage them in Durant dialogue before the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

“It makes total sense for Phoenix given that Houston has swap-rights control of the Suns' first-round pick this June and again in 2027 and 2029, but the Rockets passed on the concept then and remain resistant to entertaining the idea of surrendering premium assets in a trade for a 36-year-old with one season left on his current contract…

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The Houston Rockets invested heavily into Fred VanVleet during the 2023 offseason. Houston gave the point guard a three-year, $128 million deal in a move that was meant to turn the Rockets from a rebuilding team into a championship contending one. The signing did just that, as the Rockets finished the 2024-25 regular season as the two-seed in a stacked Western Conference. VanVleet was the veteran presence and 3-point shooter that the team desperately needed, and he still might have a role with the Rockets going forward. Houston has a team option on his contract for next year, and they very well may pick it up. The Wichita State product reportedly wants to stay in Houston, but the point guard would be set to make over $44 million next season under his current contract. The Rockets and their guard recently pushed back the deadline on Houston's decision with VanVleet, and although reports suggest that they are interested in writing up a new, long-term deal, it isn't necessarily a guarantee that VanVleet will be playing for Houston next year. The Rockets blew him away with an offer he couldn't refuse back in 2023, and another team could so the same when/if he hits the open market this offseason. If VanVleet does become an unrestricted free agent, which teams outside of Houston would make the most sense for him to sign with? 1. Orlando Magic Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner recently signed big deals with the Orlando Magic, and Paolo Banchero will be getting a mega contract extension here soon. Because of that, the Magic no longer have money to blow like they have had in recent years. That will make a deal for another big ticket free agent hard to pull off, especially considering the team signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope last year. If Orlando can make the money work, though, then Fred VanVleet would be a great fit with the Magic. The Magic finished dead last in 3-point shooting this season, and VanVleet has made at least 2.5 deep balls per game in every season since 2018-19. VanVleet can hit shots form behind the arc off of the bounce or in catch-and-shoot situations. The Rockets were heavily reliant on his shooting expertise, so the guard would have plenty of familiarity getting up deep shots with high volume if he signed with the Magic. While undersized, VanVleet is a pesky defender, so he'd fit right in with a Magic team that has one of the best defensive units in the league. VanVleet could play alongside Suggs and give opposing teams fits. Ultimately, though, the Magic just need more shooting to get to the next level, and VanVleet is arguably the best shooter who could be available on the open market this offseason. 2. Brooklyn Nets A more realistic option for a VanVleet destination would be the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are set up to have the most cap space this offseason, and they have a major need at point guard. With D'Angelo Russell and De'Anthony Melton hitting free agency this offseason, the Nets don't have a true point guard under contract for next season. Brooklyn needs to spend big this offseason, and they'd be smart to offer VanVleet a contract big enough that he'd have no choice but to leave Houston. VanVleet averaged 14.1 points per game last season, which was his lowest mark since 2018-19. He is trending the wrong way, but he still has enough left in the tank to give the Nets a few good seasons. 3. Portland Trail Blazers In the same way that the Rockets were looking to take the next step in 2023, the Portland Trail Blazers could use VanVleet's presence to get over the hump. The Trail Blazers have plenty of big man depth, as centers Deandre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams, and Duop Death are all under contract next season. Portland also has a lot of wing depth. Deni Advija started to look like a star late this past season, Toumani Camara is an elite defender, Shaedon Sharpe is a freakish athlete, and Jerami Grant is a proven scorer. The team is thinner in the backcourt, though. Anfernee Simons is a solid scorer, but Scoot Henderson has looked like a fringe draft bust since being drafted third overall. Portland shouldn't give up on Henderson completely, but there wouldn't be any harm in signing another guard. Like the Magic, the Blazers were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA. VanVleet would improve that weakness, and in a stacked Western Conference, Portland needs all of the help they can get if they are to compete for a playoff spot.
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“It makes much more sense, from a timeline perspective, for the Rockets to covet the younger All-Star scorer on the Suns' roster: Devin Booker. But Phoenix has been resolute in its own messaging that the 28-year-old is not available.”

Rockets have luxury of looking for right star who fits timeline, culture

Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson (1) meets with Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka during a break in the action against the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter of game six of the first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Chase Center.
Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

In just two years under Ime Udoka, Houston has built one of the strongest cultures in the NBA. That foundation is one of the reasons the Rockets were able to come back from a 3-1 deficit against Golden State and get a Game 7 at home. It's crucial that the front office does not mess that culture up going forward.

Right now, this franchise has one key star that it needs to build, Amen Thompson. Alperen Sengun might be the best player on the team right now, but Thompson has the upside and playing style that can eventually lead to him being the best player on a championship team.

While a prime Kevin Durant might have been a good fit on this roster a few years ago, a 36-year-old is not worth it unless he comes at a discount. Houston is in no rush to significantly change its roster structure for a major star unless it's the right star. And that player is likely coming sooner rather than later.