The Houston Rockets nearly doubled their win total from the 202-2023 season to the 2023-2024 season, and Ime Udoka’s squad came close to earning a spot in postseason play. The Rockets have a young core progressing together in their development, but they will likely need at least one more piece to fill out their roster.
However, the team could go in several different directions with the remainder of their roster-building, and for the time being, Rafael Stone appears to be taking things slowly and letting the situation play itself out.
Accordingly, the Rockets have been fairly quiet. However, that doesn't mean their free agency was a failure. Their inaction has been by design, and it was the smart approach.
The Rockets are in a good position despite quiet free agency
The Rockets extended Aaron Holiday with a new two-year deal, and signed N’Faly Dante, an undefeated rookie free agent, to a two-way deal. Beyond that, things have been quiet although they will likely bring back several veterans awaiting decisions on team options.
Houston is in an enviable position. The Rockets have a talented young core with several players who have the potential to become stars.
We’ll start by looking at the frontcourt, where 21-year-old sensation Alperen Sengun is a lethal scorer and capable rebounder. Sengun hasn’t yet developed as a threat from deep, but he certainly has the potential to do so, and he can be an absolute menace to defenders.
In the backcourt, Jalen Green is a dynamic young player, but it appears as if the Rockets have not yet made a decision on whether they will commit to the former G-League Ignite star for the long term.
Green isn’t the only asset the Rockets have in their backcourt, though. Fred VanVleet is among the team’s old breed. He’s an experienced, tenacious defender and talented scorer who would be an asset to nearly any team in the league.
VanVleet could also be a valuable component of the Rockets' core, if they choose to keep him. That is certainly one option, to build around the former Toronto Raptors guard, Sengun and Green while filling out the rest of the team’s roster.
Reed Sheppard was just drafted this summer, but he is a talented prospect in his own right who could very well develop into a star. Houston could choose to send Sheppard out in a future transaction to bring in a complementary player who fits better around the VanVleet-Green-Sengun core.
They could also trade VanVleet for the complementary player and build around Sheppard, Green and Sengun. Another option would be to keep all four and have either VanVleet or Sheppard play the sixth-man role.
Cam Whitmore is a talented young forward who profiles as a shutdown defender with upside as a scorer. Whitmore is an athletic specimen who can get to the rim at will, bully defenders out of the way and slam home dunks with authority. He can also contort his body around defenders to finish acrobatic layups that electrify fans.
Whitmore has a decent-looking shot, and is making strides from beyond the arc. His ability to make difficult contested shots can help him thrive in playoff situations. Whitmore’s form and confidence bodes well for his growth prospects as a three-point shooter.
The likeliest path to contention for Houston
Because of the moves Houston has made this off-season, or more accurately, the moves they didn’t make, they have maintained flexibility heading into the upcoming season. The front office may be able to keep both Sheppard and VanVleet while still having enough assets to deal for the right player to round out their team.
If Sengun, Green and Whitmore all develop as expected, Houston might just need somebody who can play a complementary role. This player would cost fewer assets to acquire, which could allow Houston to keep VanVleet and Sheppard.
Houston will probably only need to add a second-tier or third-tier star, but they don't know who that player is yet. That's why maintaining flexibility is of the utmost importance for the Rockets
Every move that the Rockets made this off-season was part of a strategic plan with one goal in mind. That goal was to limit any long-term financial commitments to players who aren’t deemed essential. This is because the front office made it a priority to put themselves in a prime position to make a move when a player they really want becomes available on the trade market.
One thing that stands out about Houston’s roster is that nearly all of the players in Space City are guys that any team would love to have. This gives the Rockets front office incredible flexibility moving forward.
The best move was no move at all
For most Rockets fans, their view of this off-season will likely depend on where they set their expectations. If they were expecting the team to swing for the fences by adding LeBron James or Paul George, they’ll likely find themselves disappointed. In reality, though, this young team wasn’t quite ready for a move that drastic.
Houston’s front office made the right decision by keeping their powder dry and waiting until they have more clarification about what their next move should be. They can then push all their chips to the center of the table once they know what needs to be done.
It’s clear that the team's front office is willing to do the smart thing by taking a 10,000 foot view and playing the long game. The reality is that, as exciting as their young team may be, the Rockets are probably a year or two away. Houston isn’t quite yet ready to compete with the top dogs in the Association.
Furthermore, aside from something unrealistic like adding LeBron James, no move the team made would likely make them serious contenders. In order for that to happen, the team’s young players must continue to develop and take that next step toward superstardom.
When Houston is ready to make their final move, they’ll have the assets to pull it off. That’s why the front office’s decision to stay out of free agency was the best decision they could have made this summer.
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