With NBA free agency largely wrapped up, it’s a great time to take a look at each NBA team’s depth chart as we head closer to the NBA season. Let’s take a look at the Houston Rockets’ updated depth chart following free agency, along with some analysis of the team’s incoming and outgoing players as they shape up for the 2026–27 season.
PG: Fred VanVleet, Marcus Smart, Bruce Thornton
SG: Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, Bogdan Bogdanovic
SF: Kevin Durant, Tari Eason, Jae’Sean Tate
PF: Jabari Smith Jr., Isaiah Crawford
C: Alperen Sengun, Steven Adams, Clint Capela, Oscar Tshiebwe
After getting knocked out in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, the Houston Rockets focused on fine-tuning their roster and getting back to full health entering the 2026-27 season.
The Rockets were hit with a big blow prior to the beginning of last season, with point guard Fred VanVleet tearing his right ACL, forcing him to miss the entirety of the season. VanVleet is now back and his return to the lineup this season will be a big boost for the Rockets and their backcourt group. The Rockets also made other moves to strengthen their backcourt group, signing both Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanović in free agency.
Smart signed a two-year, $13 million deal and is now reunited with Ime Udoka, his former coach in Boston. Smart was actually one of the main contributors to the Lakers’ series win against the Rockets in the playoffs, and he’ll now aim to bring his veteran experience and stellar perimeter defense to Houston. Smart averaged 9.3 points, 3.0 assists and 2.8 rebounds for the Lakers last season and was especially impactful during their playoff run.
Bogdanović, on the other hand, is coming off an injury-filled season in which he only appeared in 23 games for the Clippers, where he averaged 7.4 points. Bogdanović is a career 38.1% three-point shooter and fills Houston’s need for a capable outside shooter.
Another one of Houston’s biggest offseason moves was their decision to retain Tari Eason on a five-year, $81 million deal, ensuring Houston locks in one of the core talents within their roster. Eason started a career-high 34 games last season and averaged 10.5 points and 6.3 rebounds while shooting 35.8% from three-point range. Eason’s versatility makes him an extremely valuable piece within the team, and he could be in for a breakout season this year.
In terms of offseason departures, the Rockets lost Dorian Finney-Smith and Josh Okogie over the summer. Both players were reliable three-and-D veterans, but their departures won’t affect the team as much, especially when considering the Rockets’ returning players from injury and their new signings.
The Rockets are poised to build off of their playoff appearance from last year, still led by 37-year-old Kevin Durant, who is still playing at an elite level. Durant will surely have more help entering this year with the return of VanVleet and the surrounding talents of Alperen Şengün, Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson all improving each year. The Rockets enter the year as strong competitors in the Western Conference, but their ability to make a deeper run in the playoffs will rely upon their ability to stay healthy and continue developing as a new-look squad.
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