Throughout the offseason, the Houston Rockets have made extreme improvements to their roster. This included a trade for Kevin Durant, signing Dorian Finney-Smith, and re-signing Steven Adams. All of this, and they only let go of Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and Cam Whitmore. The Rockets have quickly propelled themselves into a championship-level team. Their depth and defensive versatility are among the best in the NBA. I think everyone is excited to see this new Rockets team in action. Now, what does this mean for fantasy basketball? Will Kevin Durant continue to be an elite fantasy option? Will Alperen Sengun’s usage lower? And will Reed Sheppard make a fantasy impact as a true backup point guard? I have three takeaways from this new-look Rockets team. Let’s get into it.
The Fantasy Impact of the New-Look Houston Rockets
1) Kevin Durant Will Still Be A Fantasy Star
I think that many people have forgotten how good Durant actually is at this stage in his career. He is still one of the best offensive players in basketball. Last season, Durant averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. And as always, was hyper efficient with shooting splits of 52.7/43.0/83.9. He did this while also sharing the court with two ball dominant players in Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. With this current Rockets roster, I think Durant’s usage can be higher than last season, which will lead to more fantasy points. Durant will be a huge fantasy performer next season.
2) More Room for Guard Play
With the departure of Green and Brooks, it gives the Rockets the opportunity to get creative with their guard rotation. Green shared a lot of the ball-handling duties with Fred VanVleet last season. I think the Rockets will fill the ball-handling void with multiple people. That could mean more Amen Thompson, more Reed Sheppard, and Kevin Durant as the initiator as well. This could also just mean more opportunity for VanVleet, but nobody will fill the substantial void from Green by themselves. I would look at Thompson as the main benefit from this. He’s truly a one of one athlete, and I think the Rockets are going to try anything and everything to maximize Thompson’s potential.
3) Will Alperen Sengun get better?
Without question, Alperen Sengun was the Rockets offensive stabilizer last season. This season, that role is going to be reserved for Durant. The rebounding and assist numbers should stay similar for Sengun. The main question for me is: Will the Durant acquisition help Sengun become more efficient? Sengun took a dip in points compared to the 2023-24 season, as well as his efficiency across the board. If Sengun can find his long-distance jumper, that is going to be the key to him becoming an elite fantasy option. I expect him to be similarly valuable in fantasy this season.
The Last Word
This offseason, the Houston Rockets have revamped their roster, and are ready to contend for an NBA championship. They acquired Kevin Durant and Dorian Finney-Smith, while letting go of Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks. The Rockets offense is going to be much more consistent with Durant, no doubt. Durant may be in for an even better fantasy season than last season. Amen Thompson, Fred VanVleet, and Reed Sheppard will have marginal improvements. And, Alperen Sengun can be very good in fantasy if he can become more efficient. Overall, the excitement for this team cannot be understated. Watch out for the Rockets and their fantasy impactful players.
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