“They put themselves in the position to be one of favorites this year” – Vernon Maxwell loves the Houston Rockets’ aggressiveness in the 2025 offseason originally appeared on Basketball Network.
After finishing as the second seed in the Western Conference and getting bounced from the playoffs in seven games against the Warriors, it was clear that the Houston Rockets only needed minor tweaks to unlock their full potential. But instead of selling for those minor adjustments, the front office went bold, making one high-impact move after another, most notably the blockbuster addition of Kevin Durant.
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Former NBA player Vernon Maxwell is entirely on board with those decisions, believing the Rockets are now in their best position yet. They’ve finally patched every major role and are poised to top the West despite the rising competition and truly contend for an NBA title.
Vernon Maxwell approves of each move the Rockets have made
Jalen Green’s underwhelming average of 13.3 points per game against the Golden State Warriors in the first-round series made it clear that the Rockets lacked a more mature and confident scoring firepower that wouldn’t fold in high-stakes scenarios. As a result, the front office acted decisively, acquiring Kevin Durant, who averaged 26.6 points per game in Year 17, believing that the two-time Finals MVP could still be their catalyst on offense.
But Houston didn’t stop right there. They re-signed key role players like Steven Adams and Jabari Smith Jr. but also made quality additions by bringing in a two-way threat in Dorian Finney-Smith and a traditional rim protector in Clint Capela. So, for Maxwell, the Rockets have given the team a great mix of star power and roster depth, which makes them capable of beating any team in the league.
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“I love the moves. I love every damn thing they done over there in Houston, man. They’re trying to really win one. I think they put themselves in a good position to be one of the favorites this year,” Maxwell said. “I kept saying, all these mfs need to do what the Rockets need to do, get a mf you can roll the ball out to and go get a goddamn bucket. We got him now.”
The Houston Rockets can win a title in the 2025-26 season
Defensively, Houston already had elite stoppers like Amen Thompson and Tari Eason, and now they have added one of the best pure shooters in the game in Durant. If the team can maintain its defensive identity under head coach Ime Udoka, while also integrating KD’s offensive arsenal, they will become a nightmare matchup for anyone. With multiple players able to fill similar roles and contribute on both ends, the Rockets now have versatility, balance, and identity.
For the first time in a long while, the Rockets look like a winning franchise, at least on paper. If the injury bug doesn’t hamper their trajectory, this team surely has all the ingredients to win it all. But fans have learned over the years that it is one thing to be attractive on paper and another to be consistent for an eight-month span in the league.
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So, it would be smart for Vernon’ Mad Max’ Maxwell to not attach major hope to the Rockets just yet.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.