The Houston Rockets enter the new NBA season surrounded by excitement and rising expectations. In The Athletic’s latest power rankings, analyst Law Murray placed Houston at No. 10 overall, confirming that the franchise’s rebuild has evolved into contention.
Rebuilding Into Relevance
After a busy offseason, the Rockets look ready to compete with the West’s elite. Their biggest move came with the addition of Kevin Durant, who joined a young team that finished 52-30 last year and earned the No. 2 seed in the conference. Durant’s arrival adds instant firepower to a roster that already includes Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, and Fred VanVleet.
Houston also added experienced veterans to stabilize its offense, which struggled with consistency at times. However, two questions still hover, how VanVleet will recover from his torn ACL, and how much mileage Durant has left in his legs.
Murray’s Evaluation
Murray labeled Houston “a glass-half-full, glass-half-empty team,” pointing out both promise and pressure.
“Half full: They were the No. 2 seed in the West! Half empty: They won 52 games, 16 fewer than the No. 1 seed and four more than the No. 8 seed,” Murray wrote.
“This is a really good team, but don’t be surprised if it plateaus rather than ascends this season.”
Murray predicted Houston will finish as the sixth seed and lose to the LA Clippers in the second round of the playoffs. That projection still represents progress after last year’s first-round exit to the Golden State Warriors.
A Crowded Western Conference
The Western Conference remains loaded with talent. The Thunder, Clippers, Warriors, Nuggets, and Lakers occupy the top spots ahead of Houston. Still, the Rockets’ mix of star experience and young athleticism could close that gap quickly.
With Sengun becoming an All-Star talent and Thompson developing into a future star, the Rockets have built a balanced foundation. Durant’s leadership and Ime Udoka’s coaching give Houston the structure to take another leap.
If the team stays healthy, the Rockets could easily outperform their ranking — and rejoin the true contenders in the West.
