I’ll go first. I predict the Rockets will hover around .500, finish 41-41, make the play-in and miss the playoffs. This team has the notorious 2015-16 season vibe all over it. - The rest of the league has already developed a playbook against us in the second half of last season. Amen and Sengun still can’t shoot, our spacing is terrible and Udoka repeatedly failed to adjust. Stone didn't make a coaching change or make a significant roster move, i.e trading one of Amen or Sengun to acquire a legit star. Bringing in guys like Smart and Bogdanovic doesn't solve the jam caused by the lack of shooting of Amen and Sengun. The struggles we saw in the playoffs last season will become a regular occurrence this time. The relative success in the 2024-25 season has convinced Stone that internal development will be enough for the team to take it to another level. But the 'internal development' Stone dreamt of to take the team to the next level will not happen next season, because the rest of the league has figured us out. You can’t do the same thing over and over again and expect the issue to be miraculously resolved. Stone will have a rude awakening. - KD will be 38 years old this season. He has on average missed 20 games per year in the last 7 season. He is a year older and will likely miss around 20 games due to wear and tear. Stone failed to bring in any scoring help to relieve his load, meaning KD will continue to be heavily overworked. Expect him to pout publicly by mid-season and we will have to deal with a toxic locker room. Stone thinks he is smart and wants to straddle both timelines of competing and development, but KD has no interest. He wants to win now. If you want to keep him happy, you can’t just sit there and do nothing. He has a player option, essentially can force a trade if he is not satisfied with the situation. With him being one year older and his trade value diminishes further, he will pout and force Stone to trade him for peanuts. - FVV shot just 37% from the field and 34% from three in 2024-25 season. His production was already declining prior to his ACL injury. Now coming off a major ACL injury at 33 years old, his production will likely plummet even further. He is going to struggle all year. Clutchfans will be dragged into a lengthy debate all season over whether he should be benched in favor of Reed. Eventually no one wants him and we will let him walk for nothing after the season like Dwight Howard. - Sengun will continue to struggle to score, causing his trade value to plummet further. He is one of the most inefficient finishers in the paint and has shown no signs of improvement in either his post-game or perimeter shooting. Our biggest hope is that the Nets or the Suns finish terribly and we get a good draft pick. If those picks don't pan out, the assets we got from the Harden trade will be squandered, the young core that we assembled is not good enough and we will be looking at another painful, lengthy rebuild.
I think it all depends on health. On paper they should be better than they were last season, but I don't see them staying healthy, so I think their record will end up being slightly worse. I'm going with somewhere around 47-50 wins.
I'm going pure optimism because this place has fallen into negativity. The Rockets are 0-0 and can still go 82-0. 56 wins. 3rd seed, led by Amen, Sengun, Jabari and Reed taking clear steps towards consistency. The team goes on a nice little run at the end of the season and loses in the WCF to the Thunder. San Antonio falls to the fifth seed because Wemby misses significant time and lose to the fourth seed Nuggets in round one, The Wolves are the second seed and the Rockets defeat them in the Western semis after beating the sixth seed Lakers in the first round. Sengun's efficiency at the rim improves, defense returns to 24/25 level, improves 3PT to 33% on 3 attempts a game (good enough to space) and becomes a clear star level player. 22/10/7 makes ALL NBA 2nd team. Thompson takes more of a scoring load and averages 24 PPG. Improves 3PT to 31% on 2 attempts per game and FT to 82% on 8 attempts per game. First All star appearance. Makes All Defense 1st team. Jabari becomes more consistent and doesn't have the huge swings in his play averaging 18-8 on 48/40/80 splits, the shooting finally comes around and the game slows down for him, Dickerson says he is no longer stupid. KD misses 35 games averages 25PPG, healthy for the post season and fits in rather than stands out during that run. FVV misses 25 games, but provides a calming factor when he's available. Reed takes a big step forward defensively and in consistency. Shoots 44% from three and becomes a clear elite level shooter. Tari has his healthiest season in years. Adams plays less minutes but only misses 20 games Marcus Smart provides a huge spark to the defense that was missed by Dillon's departure.
48-52 wins…1st round exit a lot of teams are getting noticeably better, but the Rockets hustle and give effort during the regular season along with dominating the offensive boards, so that will be enough to get a good record…Ime will also play Amen and KD heavy minutes which will contribute to the regular season win total Rockets look cooked as a playoff team tho I asked this yesterday, and I’ll ask it again… Pistons, Celtics, Knicks, Cavs, Raptors with Kawhi, Sixers, Heat, Pacers, Hawks, Thunder, Spurs, Wolves, Lakers, and Nuggets: of all these teams, how many of them are you confident the Rockets would beat in a playoff series?
Too early for a predictions thread. I'm not holding out hope for some miracle trade (although I still wonder if LeBron's situation is the domino that needs to fall before anything else occurs). But it's still too early. If we're standing pat because Stone is too risk-averse to risk future first round draft picks that he'd likely just fuc* up anyway, then I'd side with Reeko. 51 some-odd wins, depending on KD's health. 1st round humiliation exit.
46 wins (+/-2 wins) Durant wants out, will miss games; but be fresh enough for that new team at the trade deadline. Steven Adams comes back; but plays every other game and moves around like he is running on egg shells. Jabari feels like the middle child, "Jan Brady syndrome," doesn't know whether to speak up or shut up. In the end he just goes through the motions on a volatile powder keg team hoping nobody lights a match. Tari/Amen start off hitting 3's at a decent clip the first month of the season but lose their confidence and their carriages turn back into pumpkins. Becoming paint cloggers again. Boggie didn't get off the bench last year for a reason. Sengun/Sheppard defense or lack thereof is league-wide know by now. Defensive Liabilities M Smart is one of the few bright spots; but too inconsistent with his 3-ball season long.
58-24. if the team is currently constructed is healthy. I believe we will be the third best team in the Western Conference.
If they somehow resolve the team chemistry issues (getoffmyDickerson) …they could be in the 55 win range with a chance of putting up a decent fight in the 2nd round.
48 wins.. Smart brings that "Dillion Brooks energy" people have been jawing about all for Houston to get bounced in round 1 again because they have zero spacing and shooting.
KD is injured in the first 10 games. Rockets go on a losing streak and sell some pieces by the trade deadline. 35 wins tops. This will most likely not happen but thought I'd throw this scenario out there just in case.
