ESPN’s Michael C. Wright: “Disappointed with a first-round exit from the postseason, Houston wasted no time in addressing its need for offense while also bolstering its depth and perimeter defense.”
At 52-30, the Houston Rockets had the NBA’s fourth-best record in the recently completed 2024-25 season. Their roster is relatively young, with several talented prospects such as Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, and Jabari Smith Jr. who can reasonably be expected to improve and develop between seasons.
And in addition to that potential for internal growth, the Rockets brought in established veterans including Dorian Finney-Smith, Clint Capela, and perennial All-Star forward Kevin Durant in the 2025 offseason.
So, where does that position the Rockets as the 2025-26 season nears?
In ESPN’s latest power rankings, Houston is at No. 2 in the entire NBA, trailing only the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Michael C. Wright writes:
Disappointed with a first-round exit from the postseason, Houston wasted no time in addressing its need for offense by bringing aboard 15-time NBA All-Star Kevin Durant while also bolstering its depth and perimeter defense with the addition of Dorian Finney-Smith. Those experienced veterans join Fred VanVleet and a young, hungry cast of rising stars, including Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson.
The Rockets are also banking on improvement (especially on the defensive end) from the sharp-shooting Reed Sheppard, who was impressive during summer league, showing Houston he is ready for an increased role. Frontcourt depth will be a sneaky strength, too.
“Team rankings are based on where members of our panel (Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Michael C. Wright, Dave McMenamin, Ohm Youngmisuk, Chris Herring, Kevin Pelton, Zach Kram, and Anthony Slater) think teams belong after a flurry of free agency moves,” ESPN writes of its methodology.
The Rockets were at No. 7 among the league’s 30 teams in ESPN’s previous power rankings, which were issued prior to the 2025 draft and free agency window.
As for the updated list from July 30, teams immediately behind the Rockets are the Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks at No. 3 through No. 5, respectively.
Complete schedules for the NBA’s 2025-26 regular season will be released in August, with training camps opening for all 30 teams around October 1. To say the least, that will be a much anticipated date in Houston, where the Rockets are hot in pursuit in what would be their first championship in more than 30 years.