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The Houston Rockets enter the 2026–27 season with questions surrounding their championship outlook, but The Ringer’s Michael Pina believes they remain one of the NBA’s legitimate title contenders despite a disappointing playoff exit and a relatively quiet offseason.
In a recent column, Pina argued that Houston has the talent to compete for a championship if the right circumstances fall into place, even as skepticism continues to surround the roster.
“In a world where we’ve seen eight different NBA champions in eight years, I think the Rockets are good enough to be the ninth if they catch the lucky breaks that ultimately benefit pretty much every team that wins the title,” Pina wrote.
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“But I also recognize and understand the main reasons people will ignore Houston as a credible contender. Spacing matters. Durant is old. VanVleet shot 37.8 percent from the field before he suffered a major leg injury. All true.”
Pina added that Houston still appears to be waiting for the right opportunity to make a franchise-altering move.
“There’s also something undeniably unfinished about the entire Rafael Stone era. The Rockets still feel like they’re stuck in a holding pattern, waiting for the perfect opportunity to come along and put them over the top. They passed on Antetokounmpo and Brown to keep that very door open, allergic to the type of all-in move so many organizations can’t resist.”
Rockets still viewed as title contender despite playoff flop
Houston’s optimism entering last season faded quickly in the playoffs. The Rockets were eliminated by the injury-riddled Los Angeles Lakers in six games during the first round after falling behind 3-0 in the series. Kevin Durant appeared in only Game 2 before being sidelined for the remainder of the matchup. The Lakers, meanwhile, advanced despite playing the entire series without Luka Doncic and missing Austin Reaves for most of it, with LeBron James leading Los Angeles through the shorthanded series.
The early exit intensified scrutiny surrounding Houston’s roster construction after the franchise acquired Durant from the Phoenix Suns in a blockbuster seven-team trade before the 2025–26 season. While the move was intended to push the Rockets into championship contention, the results fell well short of expectations.
Houston has remained relatively quiet this offseason compared to several Western Conference rivals. The Rockets traded veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith and later acquired Marcus Smart after his season with the Lakers, reuniting the former Defensive Player of the Year with head coach Ime Udoka. The organization otherwise resisted making another blockbuster move, choosing instead to maintain roster flexibility.
That patience has become a defining characteristic of general manager Rafael Stone’s tenure. Houston has repeatedly declined opportunities to make aggressive, win-now trades in favor of preserving its long-term assets while building around a veteran core led by Durant alongside established contributors.
Whether that approach ultimately produces a championship remains uncertain. However, despite last season’s disappointing finish and an offseason lacking major headlines, Pina believes the Rockets still possess enough talent to emerge from a wide-open NBA landscape if the pieces finally come together.
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