Rockets offseason outlook: Will Houston make any moves this summer?

Are changes ahead for Kevin Durant and the Rockets? (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

(Ronald Martinez via Getty Images)

Highlight of the season

The Rockets rolled off eight straight wins down the stretch of the regular season. While the competition wasn't tremendous, the team found itself in a rhythm that suggested some level of playoff success.

Players signed for next season

Kevin Durant

Alperen Şengün

Jabari Smith Jr.

Dorian Finney-Smith

Steven Adams

Amen Thompson

Reed Sheppard

Clint Capela

Key free agents

Tari Eason (RFA)

Fred VanVleet (player option)

Projected salary

$159,925541

Projected draft picks

Nos. 39 and 53

Draft focus: These are late picks in a draft that's grown significantly less deep, with prospects returning to college due to NIL money. At this stage, it's all about upside. If the players with the most upside, however, are guards, all the better.

Roster-building tools

Presumably, VanVleet will trigger his player option. If the Rockets also retain Eason, it'll be at a higher salary point than his current compensation level. That would turn the Rockets into one of the more expensive teams in the league, increasing the likelihood of very little financial flexibility moving forward. In other words, if they're over the second apron, the tax midlevel exception wouldn't be available to them. So they should be motivated to stay under.

Needs and goals

The Rockets need to slightly reshuffle the deck if they wish to compete for a title, which they do. Otherwise, they wouldn't have gone out of their way to acquire Durant. Does this mean pivoting away from some of the young players? It can't be ruled out.