Having seen a rather disappointing season that ended in a first-round exit, the Houston Rockets now look to a pivotal offseason.
The Rockets will undoubtedly undergo change this offseason, with a variety of decisions needing to be made. Tari Eason is a restricted free agent, upcoming star Amen Thompson is extension eligible, and roster changes as a whole are likely needed given Houston couldn’t make much of a splash in the postseason.
One key factor will be the return of Fred VanVleet, who suffered an ACL injury prior to last season, and was a major hit to the team’s talent-level. In addition to being one of the team’s best and most veteran players, he was also the only true point guard, leaving players like Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun and more without a floor general.
While VanVleet is a talented player, and surely set to bolster the team on both ends with his return, he’s also not likely to make up the difference in a first-round exit and Finals’ berth. Additionally, there’s no guarantee he’ll be able to recapture the exact ability he had prior to a major knee injury at 32.
Enter the 2026 NBA Draft. It’s been heralded as the best class in some time for a few reasons, one of which could massively help the Rockets: it’s guard depth.
Following the locked-in top four prospects, the ’26 draft class has a myriad of first-round guards that could be set to infuse the league with talent. Players like Darius Acuff Jr., Mikel Brown Jr., Kingston Flemings, Labaron Philon and Brayden Burries sit near the top, though all of Bennett Stirtz, Ebuka Okorie, Christian Anderson will be gettable in the latter half of the first round.
There are only so many guard spots available across the league, making Houston an easy trade-in candidate on draft-night. The Rockets don’t own a first-round pick at the upcoming draft, but they do have the necessary future cache to get a night-of deal done.
Trading in for a prospect could provide some necessary insurance for the Rockets. While there’s little chance a rookie would make a major impact in Year 1, they could at least provide spot minutes while getting reps. Players like Reed Sheppard and Amen Thompson can and have stepped in for VanVleet at times, but simply aren’t natural point guards with years of experience.
The 2026 draft couldn’t have come at a better time for Houston, chock full of handlers and play-makers that could make a difference for Houston.
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