The Houston Rockets ' first year with Kevin Durant fell short of expectations. He was touted to be the closer and veteran leader the young Rockets needed to get over the hump. However, fate dealt them cruel blows: Fred VanVleet suffered an ACL injury before the season started and missed the entire year, and Durant also got hurt in the playoffs.
With a glaring lack of a floor general and a proven scorer, the Rockets struggled to find their footing in the playoffs and were eliminated in the first round by the Los Angeles Lakers .
But with both VanVleet and Durant back and healthy this season, many like the Rockets' chances, especially given their potent mix of youth and experience, including veteran center Steven Adams , who also had an injury-plagued 2025-26 campaign and played in just 32 matches.
And while the bull strong Kiwi believes they should be much better this coming season with a healthy roster, he isn't so sure about the young fellas.
"I'm pretty confident with our group. We got a lot of good veterans here. Young guys, they're a little bit older. Not sure if they're smarter, mate. I hate to tell it to you guys, mate. But they should be alright," Adams said .
Much was said about the Houston Rockets ' inexperience last season. With VanVleet out, Houston's offense struggled to find its form throughout the regular season. This was evident in the playoffs when Durant played only one game due to injury, and 41-year-old LeBron James ran circles around the young Rockets en route to a 4-2 series win by the purple and gold.
Most notably, the young team suffered an epic collapse in Game 3. They led 101-95 with 40.6 seconds left and the ball in hand. Unfortunately, their lack of savvy showed as they repeatedly threw the ball away, opening the door for the Lakers to rally and force overtime, where they pulled off an improbable win, taking the gas out of the Rockets' engines. After the game, head coach Ime Udoka went off on his players .
"Horrendous mistakes," Udoka said .
"Grow up," he continued . "You're not young anymore. We've been to the playoffs once. And you've watched every situation right now."
Beyond their playoff meltdown against the Lakers, the Rockets' young stars were at the center of a social media scandal involving an alleged burner account by Kevin Durant.
The account, "@gethigher77," did not hold back in criticizing two of the Rockets' most promising stars – Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith .
"Your franchise player who can't shoot or defend, That's a wayyyyy bigger issue than my turnovers. Remember, these guys are your future," the account stated, referring to Sengun.
It also mentioned someone named Jabari, whom people interpreted as Smith: "I can't trust Jabari to make a fu—n shot or get a stop. He's lowkey retard."
But of course, Durant denied being "@gethigher77." However, many analysts and observers agreed that what he said reflected the Rockets' state last season. With the new season looming, it's a precious chance for the Rockets' young studs to prove they can help the Rockets lift off.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Sep 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
