Who's to blame for Rockets' embarrassing first-round exit, and what comes next after a disastrous season?
The Houston Rockets fell short of championship expectations after a series of injuries and poor performances led to a first-round playoff exit. Despite high hopes following the acquisition of Kevin Durant, the team struggled to develop its young core and adapt to adversity. Now, the Rockets face major questions about their future direction and roster decisions.
- ▪The Rockets started strong but declined after Steven Adams suffered a season-ending ankle injury.
- ▪Injuries to Fred VanVleet and Adams exposed the team's overreliance on aging veterans and lack of development in young players.
- ▪Houston lost in the first round to a depleted Lakers team, winning only two games in the series despite a brief comeback attempt.
- ▪The performance of young players like Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard raised concerns about their readiness and development under pressure.
- ▪General manager Rafael Stone faces scrutiny for draft choices and the team's failure to build a sustainable core around Durant.
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Who's to blame for Rockets' embarrassing first-round exit, and what comes next after a disastrous season? Houston has plenty of decisions to make, including whether to bring back Kevin Durant By Sam Quinn May 2, 2026 at 12:16 am ET • 19 min read Getty Images The Houston Rockets expected to compete for the 2026 championship. That's the only justifiable reason to trade meaningful assets for a 37-year-old Kevin Durant.Those expectations were at least partially dashed by Fred VanVleet's torn ACL, but the opportunity it created would be a reasonable silver lining. With VanVleet out, the Rockets could test the readiness of their young core to step into bigger roles. Maybe they could compete on their own without the presence of their veteran point guard. Nope.
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