Entering 2025 offseason, Rockets urged to ‘level up' the offense

USA Today

01-06-2025

Entering 2025 offseason, Rockets urged to 'level up' the offense Bleacher Report's Dan Favale says Houston can improve its offense via a moderate upgrade, but it's unclear where the rotation minutes would come from.
In the recently completed 2024-25 regular season, the Houston Rockets (52-30) had the fourth-best record in the NBA and second-best in the Western Conference. That represented quite a climb from a 41-41 season and the West's No. 11 spot a year earlier, but it still wasn't in the top rung of contenders.
So, what held them back?
Their defense was consistently rated in the league's top five, but the offense was middle of the pack. When isolated to halfcourt situations, it was often worse than that. During their series-ending loss in Game 7 of a first-round playoff slugfest versus the Golden State Warriors, the Rockets were stuck on 74 points with barely more than two minutes left to play.
With that in mind, when it comes to areas needing improvement in the 2025 offseason, it seems pretty clear which side of the ball could use a boost. Bleacher Report's Dan Favale writes:
The Rockets are so close. Their defense is hellfire, they have plenty of depth, and unlike other contenders, there's tons of room for internal growth.
Whether that internal growth will be enough to level up the offense is a separate matter. Houston ranked 22nd through both the regular season and playoffs in first-chance points scored per possession, according to PBP Stats. The rotation doesn't seem to have a shotmaker and facilitator of the future — unless the Rockets believe Reed Sheppard is that dude and are prepared to unleash him next year.
Failing that, they need to work the trade market as soon as free agency begins. Though they have pathways to opening the full mid-level exception ($14.1 million), it should not come at the expense of letting Fred VanVleet (team option) sign elsewhere. The free-agency market is too barren.
Star pursuits will dominate headlines. Houston should absolutely be open to one. But improvement can also come in the form of a middle-rung creator and deadeye shooter. It just has to be someone good enough to crack the playoff rotation.
The notion of Houston pursuing a star via trade, such as Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, has been well chronicled.
The more interesting notion is a 'middle-rung creator and deadeye shooter,' and what that might look like from a rotation perspective.
The Rockets had eight consistent rotation players in the 2025 playoffs between VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Amen Thompson, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and Steven Adams. They would also like to find more minutes in 2025-26 for Sheppard and Cam Whitmore, two talented first-round prospects from the previous two NBA draft cycles.
If the Rockets are to trade for a superstar, the question of rotation minutes likely resolves itself, since the Rockets would presumably be sending out as much or more than what they are take in, from a minutes perspective.
But to sign or bring in a more moderate upgrade raises questions. Are there any players from the aforementioned eight-man rotation that Houston would trade or reduce minutes for? Would the Rockets further stall the development of Sheppard and/or Whitmore? Might they look to trade one or both of those prospects for future equity, in such as scenario? After all, if a young player doesn't play, he's unlikely to develop and his market value is likely to gradually depreciate.
Or, should general manager Rafael Stone simply stay the course and bet on Houston's halfcourt offense to improve organically through the continued development of young players such as Green, Sengun, Thompson, Smith, Eason, Sheppard, and Whitmore?
There is certainly a case to look externally for upgrades, but the moderate path through free agency will bring its own set of questions.
More: Podcast: Is 2025 the right time for Houston to make a superstar trade?