Houston enters next season as a premier Western Conference contender, pairing Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson with Kevin Durant and a deep mix of youth and experience. Reed Sheppard is earmarked for bigger bench reps, while Russell Westbrook remains unsigned and the Rockets weigh whether a reunion would help or hinder development. Minutes, fit, and roster gymnastics will shape the Rockets’ ceiling in a brutal West.

Key questions loom: can Houston sustain continuity while accelerating Sheppard’s growth, and would adding Westbrook disrupt or accelerate the second unit? Durant’s presence changes spacing and late-game dynamics, but the roster must balance development with a title-or-bust mindset, navigating roster spots and chemistry as the West stiffens.