DAL HOU HOU SAS HOU ATL ATL HOU HOU MIL HOU DAL OKC HOU BOS HOU MIN HOU HOU PHXHead Coach
Ime Udoka
Assistant Coach
Trainer
Founded
1967
City
Houston
Arena
Toyota Center
G-League
Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Governor(s)
Tilman Fertitta
General Manager
Rafeul Stone
| Player | # | POS | Height | Weight | Birthdate | Age | Exp | School | How Acquired |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sean Pedulla | — | G | 6-1 | 195 lbs | Oct 10, 2002 | 23 | 1 | Mississippi | Signed on 08/17/26 |
| Bruce Thornton | — | G | 6-2 | 215 lbs | Sep 14, 2003 | 22 | R | Ohio State | Draft Rights Traded from NYK on 06/24/26 |
| Quadir Copeland | — | G | 6-6 | 203 lbs | Sep 01, 2003 | 22 | R | North Carolina State | Signed on 07/07/26 |
| Aaron Holiday | 0 | G | 6-0 | 185 lbs | Sep 30, 1996 | 29 | 8 | UCLA | Signed on 07/10/23 |
| Amen Thompson | 1 | G-F | 6-7 | 200 lbs | Jan 30, 2003 | 23 | 3 | Overtime Elite | #4 Pick in 2023 Draft |
| Julian Phillips | 4 | F | 6-6 | 201 lbs | Nov 05, 2003 | 22 | 3 | Tennessee | Signed on 07/24/26 |
| Fred VanVleet | 5 | G | 6-0 | 197 lbs | Feb 25, 1994 | 32 | 9 | Wichita State | Signed on 07/07/23 |
| Kevin Durant | 7 | F | 6-11 | 240 lbs | Sep 29, 1988 | 37 | 19 | Texas | Traded from PHX on 07/06/25 |
| Jae'Sean Tate | 8 | F | 6-4 | 230 lbs | Oct 28, 1995 | 30 | 6 | Ohio State | Signed on 11/25/20 |
| Jabari Smith Jr. | 10 | F | 6-11 | 220 lbs | May 13, 2003 | 23 | 4 | Auburn | #3 Pick in 2022 Draft |
| Steven Adams | 12 | C | 6-11 | 265 lbs | Jul 20, 1993 | 33 | 13 | Pittsburgh | Traded from MEM on 02/01/24 |
| Tristen Newton | 13 | G | 6-5 | 190 lbs | Apr 26, 2001 | 25 | 2 | Connecticut | Signed on 01/03/26 |
| Reed Sheppard | 15 | G | 6-2 | 185 lbs | Jun 24, 2004 | 22 | 2 | Kentucky | #3 Pick in 2024 Draft |
| Tari Eason | 17 | F | 6-8 | 215 lbs | May 10, 2001 | 25 | 4 | Louisiana State | #17 Pick in 2022 Draft |
| Isaiah Crawford | 27 | F | 6-6 | 220 lbs | Nov 01, 2001 | 24 | 2 | Louisiana Tech | Signed on 07/26/25 |
| Alperen Sengun | 28 | C | 6-11 | 243 lbs | Jul 25, 2002 | 24 | 5 | Besiktas | Draft Rights Traded from OKC on 07/30/21 |
| Clint Capela | 30 | C | 6-10 | 256 lbs | May 18, 1994 | 32 | 12 | Elan Chalon | Traded from ATL on 07/06/25 |
| Bogdan Bogdanović | 31 | G | 6-5 | 225 lbs | Aug 18, 1992 | 33 | 9 | Fenerbahce | Signed on 07/08/26 |
| Jeff Green | 32 | F | 6-8 | 235 lbs | Aug 28, 1986 | 39 | 19 | Georgetown | Signed on 07/06/23 |
| Oscar Tshiebwe | 34 | F-C | 6-8 | 255 lbs | Nov 27, 1999 | 26 | 3 | Kentucky | Signed on 07/23/26 |
| Marcus Smart | 36 | G | 6-3 | 220 lbs | Mar 06, 1994 | 32 | 12 | Oklahoma State | Signed on 07/10/26 |
Total Points
Hakeem Olajuwon
26,511
Total Assists
James Harden
4,796
Total Rebounds
Hakeem Olajuwon
13,382
Total Blocks
Hakeem Olajuwon
3,740
Total Steals
Hakeem Olajuwon
2,088
Championship Wins
1994, 1995
Conference Titles
1981, 1986, 1994, 1995
Division Titles
1977, 1986, 1993, 1994, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2025
The Houston Rockets are one of the Western Conference teams playing in the Southwest Division for the 2026-2027 NBA season. This season is another continuous contention build as Houston got veteran guards Marcus Smart (from the Lakers) and Bogdan Bogdanović (from the Clippers) in the point guard area for perimeter defense and shooting depth and re-signed Tari Eason to lock in its young core.
On this page, we'll explore both sides of the equation: what the Rockets are as a franchise and what has changed for them in the lead-up to 2026-27.
History of the Houston Rockets franchise dates back to 1967, when they were known as the San Diego Rockets and later relocated to Houston in 1971. The team has developed into a franchise where a strong big man with strong skills and analytics-driven offense are synonymous in the past 30 years. Perhaps most of all, the franchise went back-to-back in 1994 and 1995 that year, which is something that is mentioned by fans and analysts when talking about the all-time contenders in the Southwest Division.
One of the most iconic figures in the franchise's history is Hakeem Olajuwon, who had an impact on the Houston Rockets brand for generations of fans. To keep things in perspective, a two-time NBA champ is quite different from a team that's looking for its first title; every season is judged by the yardstick set during Olajuwon's reign, and that's particularly true for the Rockets, who are moving from playoff team to real contender.
The Houston Rockets are a team that has long been regarded as having strong big men and being a team built around analytics-based offense. The identity plays a factor in how the front office approaches trades and free agency, how the coaching staff constructs its offensive and defensive systems.
The Houston staff will look to Alperen Şengün's post skill and Marcus Smart's defensive tenacity and leadership to fit into a culture that prioritizes a defense-first, long and versatile style, and entering 2026-27, Houston's culture is continuing its tradition.
Rivalries also have a national impact on the perception of a franchise. The Houston Rockets' most prominent rivalry is with the San Antonio Spurs, which always commands a lot of scrutiny on the schedule and should be on every Rockets fan's list.
The Houston Rockets 2026-2027 team has a steady contendership build going on: Houston signed veteran guards Marcus Smart (from the Lakers) and Bogdan Bogdanović (from the Clippers) for perimeter defense and shooting depth; and re-signed Tari Eason to cap off its young core. This season becomes significant because Houston has vowed to move on from a playoff team to real contender for the title with more depth and experience.
The Rockets rallied to relevance in recent years thanks to a strong group of young contributors and a successful rebuild. There's been real progress in the 2025-26 season and this offseason's additions of Smart and Bogdanović are tokens of a front office that values experience in the playoffs.
Top coaching priority: Integrating veteran leadership from Smart and Bogdanović without upsetting the development of the young core.
First-Round Pick: Bruce Thornton (No. 31, via trade) Strengths: Physical, defense-first point guard Rookies could be useful: Backup guard, quick impact defender.
Thornton joins another perimeter post in the middle of the court for Houston, who already has a perimeter-heavy team.
| Move | Type | Expected Impact |
| Marcus Smart (from Lakers) | Free Agent | Veteran defense and leadership |
| Bogdan Bogdanović (from Clippers) | Free Agent | Perimeter shooting depth |
| Tari Eason | Re-signed | Retains young defensive core piece |
| Jeff Green | Free Agent | Veteran frontcourt depth |
Roster fit analysis: Houston will get some playoff experience in shooting and athletic depth with the addition of Smart and Bogdanović.
Marcus Smart, Bogdan Bogdanović, Tari Eason and Bruce Thornton add depth.
Alperen Şengün He is expected to continue to grow as an All-Star-level playmaker and anchor on offense for the team's title chasing.
Marcus Smart Has to be just as aggressive and leader as he was in the old system, but remain healthy in the new system.
Jalen Green's scoring prowess is going to be one of the deciding factors as to whether they have a decent playoff team or a legitimate threat to enter the playoffs in the conference.
The Houston Rockets are in a very tough Western Conference group as a Southwest Division side. Playoff seeding, home-court advantage, and — since the advent of the play-in tournament — whether a team gets a playoff berth or has to fight it out for that final playoff berth are all determined by division and conference standings. The divisional record, not the overall record, is a better measure and a more accurate gauge of how the veteran-filled roster of the Rockets is doing against the teams that they play the most.
The veteran additions play well together, Şengün's addition is another leap and Houston is a top-4 seed on the playoff path.
There's still spacing problems and Houston's jimmies are getting bigger as the team faces tougher playoff competition.
Houston is a dark-horse pick in the West that has the potential to field elite defense and a solid, young nucleus, but has yet to play against the best playoff teams.
Every NBA season has its own changes in roster, coaching and health that dictate a team's course well before the playoffs. The Houston Rockets have a number of storylines to monitor:
Rosters, coaching staffs, and injury situations come and go throughout the year, so don't assume an opinion on the Rockets form is a fact — the best way to see what they are like is to follow the live schedule and box scores as the season goes on.
As is tradition with every NBA franchise, the Rockets will play a 82-game regular season before the field of postseason games is drawn up. That load is mostly levelled off against conference opponents (plus additional games against Southwest Division opponents like the San Antonio Spurs), but is supplemented by a rotating schedule of interconference games. Every game in a league of two championship banners counts: seeding in the west determines home-court advantage and a couple of close divisional games can mean the difference between #6 and a top-4 finish.
The season can be divided into distinct periods:
If you're a fan seeing the Houston Rockets for the first time in the 2026-27 season, knowing the story of the franchise isn't just an interesting piece of trivia, it affects how the team will be covered and talked about. The expectations are different with a franchise that has won 2 NBA championships than a franchise that is still working toward its maiden title: Each season is judged, rightly or wrongly, by the success of Hakeem Olajuwon's seasons. Which is why there's a lot of optimism in Houston, given that these veterans have brought this sort of swag to his last stop, especially when it comes to returning to the championship level.
It also offers an explanation for a Rockets fan base's special interest in the San Antonio Spurs rivalry: A rivalry built over decades of playoff history carries more weight than a rivalry that has just started. Even though the Rockets' young core is gaining momentum.
Sports OKBet is a leading sports betting site in the Philippines, and provides Western Conference and championship odds for emerging powerhouses such as Houston, as well as game-by-game lines during the season.
The Rockets 2026-27 with a serious shot at being a dark-horse title contender, bolstered by the return of the experienced men of Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanović, and a record of back-to-back titles in the mid-90s that they are looking to repeat with their young talent. Going deep in the playoffs is a possibility. Keep an eye on Houston's play and for up-to-the-minute odds and analysis.
It was established in 1967 as the San Diego Rockets, and relocated to Houston in 1971.
The Houston Rockets are an NBA team that has won 2 NBA championships in a row (in 1994 and 1995).
The home arena for the Houston Rockets is the Toyota Center in Houston.
The Houston Rockets play in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference.
The biggest rivalry in the history of the Houston Rockets is against the San Antonio Spurs.
Houston signed Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanović in free agency as well as re-signed Tari Eason.
Houston had a first-round pick they took away via trade and chose Bruce Thornton.
Yes, Houston will be a top-4 seed contender in the West.
An elite youth defensive corps with Amen Thompson and Alperen Şengün as the backbone with old school skills.
Note on sourcing: Based on the official NBA franchise guide series by the OKSports Editorial Team, historical facts (founding year, championship totals, arena name, rivalry) are sourced from the official NBA franchise records. The 2026-27 NBA trade and free agency information is derived from August 2026 NBA.com and Wikipedia's 2026-27 NBA Transactions log. Lineup order, win totals and scenarios are analysis based.
