After pulling off a blockbuster trade to acquire Kevin Durant, the Houston Rockets begin the 2025-26 season as one of the front-runners to win the NBA championship.
The Rockets sent Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 NBA draft (Khaman Maluach) and five second-round picks to the Phoenix Suns for the future Hall of Famer. They also signed Clint Capela, Dorian Finney-Smith and Josh Okogie in free agency.
Behind their busy offseason, the Rockets are currently tied for the second-best title odds, along with Cleveland, New York and Denver. The group projects to once again be in the mix to have homecourt advantage after going 52-30 last season.
With the team opening training camp on Sept. 30, Rookie Wire examined the Rockets’ depth chart and offered an early projection of the starters and backups entering the season.
PGFred VanVleet: $25,000,000Reed Sheppard: $10,603,560Aaron Holiday: $2,296,274SGAmen Thompson: $9,690,600Josh Okogie: $2,296,274SFKevin Durant: $54,708,609Dorian Finney-Smith: $12,700,000Jae’Sean Tate: $2,296,274PFJabari Smith Jr.: $12,350,392Tari Eason: $5,675,766Jeff Green: $2,296,274CAlperen Şengün: $33,944,954Steven Adams: $14,130,435Clint Capela: $6,700,000Two-Way ContractsIsaiah CrawfordJD DavisonKevon Harris
Rockets salary information via Spotrac