The Houston Rockets were disappointing, so it's time for a change.
The Houston Rockets were defeated in 6 games by the Los Angeles Lakers in a first-round stunner in the NBA playoffs. This loss was a massive disappointment to the Rockets, who, despite not having Kevin Durant for the first round, had expectations for a deep playoff run.
The Rockets went all-in.
They traded for Kevin Durant, pushing a win-now timeline. And in the early season, it looked like it would work out.
Both Durant and Alperen Sengun were All-Stars, and the rest of the team looked good, too. Tari Eason was shooting nearly 50% from 3, and he, Jabari Smith Jr., and Amen Thompson were all great defensive players.
But it didn't last long.
The Rockets already went into the season without Fred VanVleet, who suffered a torn ACL. Steven Adams, the team's starting center, injured his ankle and was ruled out for the season.
But injury wasn't the only issue.
After a hot start, Alperen Sengun slowed down a lot. His 3-point shot basically disappeared, and his defense went with it. Tari Eason also went into a shooting slump, and the release of the Kevin Durant Twitter Files led to tension in the locker room.
The Rockets entered the playoffs as a 5th seed after a rocky end to the season. The Playoffs are where it all went downhill.
The Rockets found themselves down 3-0 against the Los Angeles Lakers, who were playing without Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic. They eventually went on to lose the series in 6 games. This series was catastrophic. It was Houston's series to lose. It was less about great performances from the Lakers and more of a collapse from the Rockets.
This collapse, in parts, can be blamed on Alperen Sengun, who, in the absence of Kevin Durant, was the leader of the Rockets against this injured Lakers team. Sengun struggled in many games to create offense and often found himself in foul trouble. He also struggled defensively, not providing the rim protection the Rockets desperately needed. And while it's not fair to blame the whole series on Sengun, as they did lack a primary creator, it's not entirely off.
It's not only this playoff series that makes me worry about Sengun. Being a 2-time All-Star and eventually the leader of this team as a center, you are expected to do 1 of 2 things: provide rim protection and/or shoot 3-pointers. Sengun does neither of these at a high level.
These weaknesses make it very difficult to justify building around Sengun. This team needs a change, and fast, and that change is clear.
What they should do:
Trade 1:
Brooklyn Nets receive: (C) Alperen Sengun
Houston Rockets receive: (C) Nicolas Claxton, (G) Drake Powell, (F) Danny Wolf, 2027 1st-round pick (via NYK), 2028 1st-round pick (via PHI), 2028 2nd-round pick (via MEM).
Trade 2:
New Orleans Pelicans receive: (G) Fred VanVleet, Dorian Finney-Smith, 2027 1st-round pick (via NYK prev acq. in trade), 2030 1st-round pick (via HOU), 2026 2nd-round pick (via MEM)
Houston Rockets receive: (G) Dejounte Murray, (C) Yves Missi.
Why this works:
This move is a pretty large roster change for Houston, but it all makes sense.
Let's start with the Sengun trade. Moving off of Sengun is, in my eyes, a must for Houston. He is currently at a high value coming off of an All-Star season, and he fits Brooklyn's timeline well. Brooklyn doesn't own their 1st-round pick next year, so they must try to play well, and Sengun helps a lot with that goal.
For Houston, this trade checks every box. Nicolas Claxton is a roll and cut big man who can protect the rim at a high level and even be a deep post passing hub, replacing some of the passing Sengun brought. Houston also brings in Drake Powell, who is a rookie with high defensive upside, and Danny Wolf, who is a rookie big-man floor spacer. On top of the young talent coming in, Houston acquires 2-1st-round picks, one of them being flipped in a later trade, and a second rounder as the cherry on top.
Next up, we have the trade with the Pelicans.
For the Pelicans, this trade signifies a bit of a reset. Moving off of Dejounte Murray shows that the Pelicans understand their current core won't do much, and they capitalize on it pretty well. New Orleans receives two 1st round picks, a strong return building off the necessity for Dejounte Murray.
For Houston, this trade defines the roles of their starters. Bringing in Dejounte Murray to start at point guard provides size, defense, and playmaking that Reed Sheppard failed to provide. This addition clears up the confusion about Houston's starting lineup and overall tightens up their rotation. Houston doesn't give up too much in the process. Moving off of Fred VanVleet, coming off of an ACL tear, and replacing him with Murray guarantees a starting-level point guard next season. Houston is also able to dump the contract of Dorian Finney-Smith, and flip one of the 1st rounders they received from the Sengun trade, while contributing one of their own future picks. Yves Missi also provides extra depth at center, defining the role of the center position in Houston as a rim-running rim-protector.
To be great, you have to make difficult decisions.
Houston has done a great job at building a deep young core, but now comes the hard part.
What version of basketball will Houston fully commit to?
They need to decide, and soon.
Houston Rockets potential 2026-27 starting lineup + bench:
PG: Dejounte Murray SG: Amen Thompson SF: Kevin Durant PF: Jabari Smith Jr. C: Nicolas Claxton
G: Reed Sheppard, Drake Powell, F: Tari Eason, Danny Wolf, C: Yves Missi, Steven Adams, Clint Capela