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[Houston Rockets]

SB Nation Reacts results: Do you expect the Rockets to have a better record in 2025-2026?

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Better, worse, or about the same for the Rockets?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Houston Rockets fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

This week’s question asked about the record for the Rockets this season. There’s been many changes. Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Cam Whitmore, and Jock Landale are out, while Kevin Durant, Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela are in. The Rockets are in the tougher conference. And the new pieces may take some time to come together. But on paper, the Rockets sure look better. Houston won 52 games last season. Here’s the poll results:

As you can see, 72 percent of Rockets fans think the Rockets improve on their record in 2025-2026, which is a healthy number. I chose “about the same”. I think a tough conference, lack of scoring outside of KD, and the number of games Durant will miss should squish expectations a bit. I even suspect the Rockets could start out a little slow this season, before rebounding to a home court slot in the first round, winning 52 or 53 games in the proces.

FanDuel has Houston’s win over under at 54.5. I think that’s a tough bet, but I’m taking the under by a slight margin. If you feel confident, head over to FanDuel’s NBA site, where you can bet on the Rockets’ win total, along with NBA season awards, and even the NBA Cup. Plus, you’ll be helping out TDS if you follow this link to make your bets.

Thanks for voting. We’ll be back soon with more polls.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...-rockets-to-have-a-better-record-in-2025-2026

 

[Houston Rockets]

Rockets Face Pistons In Epic Summer League Clash of The Ages!

Yes, that’s an NBA shot. | Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images

Or, hoping Reed Sheppard plays in this one.

Houston Rockets vs. Detroit Pistons​

Sunday, July 13th, 2025 @ 3:00pm CST​

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Location: Cox Pavillion, Las Vegas, NV

TV: ESPN2, ESPN+

Radio: SportsTalk790

Online: Rockets App

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Probable Starting Lineups​

Rockets: Reed Sheppard, Nate Williams, Jermaine Samuels Jr., N’Faly Dante, Moses Brown

Pistons: Eminem, Baby Faced Ray, MC5, Alice Cooper, White Stripes

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What ho, Rockets fans? Yes, it’s another Vegas Summer League game. Welcome, sickos. I’ll be streaming this, and if you want YOUR piece of niche streaming immortality, join me! Talk Rockets! Talk Reed Sheppard, talk about how you just can’t spell “Smile” without “Ime”. Whatever, Rockets or NBA related things you have on your mind. It’s really better if I don’t just utter into the void for two hours.

Anyhow, really hoping Reed plays today. Signs are, he will. We will see. Gonna be a lot Kennedy Chandler slick dribbling and sick clanking if not.

Comment here, join me on playback.tv/thedreamshake as well!

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...stons-in-epic-summer-league-clash-of-the-ages

 

[Houston Rockets]

Rockets kick off their Summer League slate against Clippers

Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Reed Sheppard set to lead the way in Houston’s Summer League opener!

Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Clippers​

Friday, July 11th, 2025 @ 9:00pm CST​

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Location: Cox Pavillion, Las Vegas, NV

TV: NBA TV, ESPN+

Radio: SportsTalk790

Online: Rockets App

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Probable Starting Lineups​

Rockets: Reed Sheppard, Nate Williams, Jermaine Samuels Jr., N’Faly Dante, Moses Brown

Clippers: Zavier Simpson, Cam Christie, Kobe Brown, Patrick Baldwin Jr., Yanic Niederhauser

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Make sure to checkout the playback tonight as during Halftime I’ll join in live from the arena for a few minutes!

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...mer-league-slate-against-los-angeles-clippers

 

[Houston Rockets]

VOTE: Grade Reed Sheppard’s NBA Summer League performance

Photo by Ryan Stetz/NBAE via Getty Images

Reed appears done for the Summer. How did he do in your eyes?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Houston Rockets fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

The Rockets have had an underwhelming NBA Summer League so far, standing at 0-3 after last night’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Reed Sheppard has played in two of the three games, and it appears like he might be done, with the Rockets holding just one more game on Thursday.

In his first game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Sheppard had 28 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals and 3 blocks on 10-for-25 shooting from the field and 6-for-15 from deep. In his second game against the Detroit Pistons, Sheppard had 18 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 4 steals on 6-for-19 shooting from the floor and 1-for-7 from three. Sheppard had 9 total turnovers in the two games, including 6 against the Pistons.

It’s not exactly the dominant performances we were expecting from Sheppard, but it’s also important to remember that Houston’s Summer League team this year is B-A-D bad. So what we want from you, is a grade for Reed in the VSL.

Cast your vote, tell us in the comments, and we’ll be back soon with the results.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...nba-summer-league-performance-houston-rockets

 

[Houston Rockets]

Five Out - Summer League Edition

Summer League is here!

It’s back! Sort of!

Hey, Five Out isn’t really dead! I’ve just been swamped with major, though not bad, stuff in my life.

It’s said that brevity is the soul of wit, so where that leaves me is concerning. Anyhow some Rockets thoughts for you, as VSL gets underway.

1. Vegas Summer League​

The Rockets are sending a decidedly “Blah” roster to Summer League. The only players likely to be significant this season are Reed Sheppard (Ime willing) and N’Faly Dante (enjoying Rockets big wins by watching him dominate garbage time).

This is good. It means this is a team that isn’t climbing out of hole, that doesn’t need to show off prospects and hope for the future. The Rockets future is now. The team isn’t looking for someone to hold down the 10-15 spots. They’ve basically got those players, and more, really.

So while I’m happy to watch Reed, N’Faly, Mojave King and Adonis Arms (great name choices Stone), I’m happier that VSL isn’t the beacon of the Rockets future right now.

2. Good Jalen?​

What, more Jalen? Not really. Just this thought. When the Rockets got “Good Jalen”, that is to say efficiently scoring Jalen, they generally won, often pretty big. The Rockets have now essentially swapped Jalen, one of the least efficient fairly high shooting volume players. Yes, Durant is older *, but he’s pretty much always at least “Good Jalen” in terms of scoring. His defense, which won’t be stellar at his age, will still be fine, because he’s 7ft tall with really long arms. Jalen had become a slightly above/slightly below average defender, depending on how you look at him. Durant should manage slightly below without much issue.

Further, KD’s assist rate is better than Jalen’s. He’s not thought of as a big time passer, but he’s not bad. KD has averaged 4.4 assists per game for his career, Jalen 3.4. I expect Durant will crack 5 pretty easily, if he wants, with these Rockets.

3. Dillon Goes Eclectic​

The Rockets traded away two starters, in Jalen and Dillon Brooks. Dillon Brooks arguably enjoyed the best overall season of his career last year, at age 29. How do the Rockets replace him? The answer is about four players either playing more, or more or less taking his minutes. Tari Eason, assuming he’s not in bubble wrap this season over his bone injury, can more or less be a 1 to 1 replacement. He’d have to attempt more threes and make about one extra every other game to hit Dillon’s shooting percentage. A slightly lower, but more consistent percentage might honestly help more. Dillon was hot or cold with his shooting most of last season. It worked out to 40%, but the 1-7 type games were fairly frequent.

There’s also more minutes for Jabari Smith, which is a good thing, I’m high on his future.

Finally, there’s Dorian Finney-Smith, stepping into the PJ Tucker slot for the Rockets. Like Dillon, he’ll take on tough defensive assignments up and down the lineup. Like Dillon, he’s pretty tall and tough (though less vocal - but it might be time for The Young Rockets to be more vocal). People say he’s old, but he just turned 32. He’s two years (essentially) older than Brooks. He’s slightly taller than Brooks, and over his career, a better shooter, especially lately.

All this to say, that’s another starter replaced with at worst, like for like.

4. The Offense​

I’ll not dwell on this, or rant, but Durant should improve the offense by just being Kevin Durant of course. Is that enough? I think KD’s career average playoff line of 29/8/4/3/1/1 would have taken the Rockets to the Conference Finals, maybe beyond. Swarming him doesn’t really help, as he doesn’t really dribble much, and keeps the ball high, and probably you can’t just hack his arms and hands constantly like OKC loves to do, because he’s Kevin Freaking Durant.

Moreover, the young Rockets should be better simply from being actual veterans now.

There also will be SPACE, with Durant. The “pack the paint, dare them to shoot, close hard if they do” defense isn’t the all purpose solution to the Rockets.

I think there’s a chance that Clint Capela could be an unexpected bonus on offense, as the only real rim running type they have there. No, he’s no longer Baby Deer, but he’s also out of Atlanta. If you have followed the Hawks at all, now they’re smart, so that might be a worry, but also, basically every teammate hates Trae Young. Let’s see if that matters. People thought Steven Adams’ career was over. Stone, Ime, the Rockets and Steven Adams himself proved very much to the contrary. It won’t happen overnight, but maybe, like Adams, it happens. He’s not the starter, but he could be very useful on Adams rest nights.

Finally, the Rockets HAVE an offensive coordinator on the bench, if they’ll let him run. Royal Ivey coached South Sudan, the youngest nation in the world, so no real national team tradition, to a very fine showing in the Olympics. Their offense was furious, fast and fun. Ime, let the man loose! Let Royal cook!

5. The Odds​

Bet the over, if you are inclined to that sort of thing*, and I’m not condoning it, but I might have a smaller flutter on it. This team is set up to be a freight train in the regular season.

*Usual Terms, Conditions, Caveats, Etc., always apply.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...durant-reed-sheppard-ime-udoka-alperen-sengun

 

[Houston Rockets]

Rockets-Blazers to wrap up regular season Summer League

Soobum Im-Imagn Images

Sources tell me Damian Lillard won’t be playing tonight

Houston Rockets vs. Portland Trail Blazers​

Sunday, July 17th, 2025 @ 7:00pm CST​

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Location: Las Vegas, NV

TV: NBA TV

Radio: SportsTalk790

Online: Rockets App

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Damian Lillard is back on the Blazers. He won’t be making an appearance tonight as he’s still recovering from an Achilles injury and is also too good to play in Summer League.

For Houston, tonight wraps up the regular season portion of Summer League. The Zombie Rockets are 0-3. They will be assigned another game for later in the weekend to have a total of five games. Could Houston go 0-5 so soon after making the Summer League title game? Yes, they absolutely could because Summer League doesn’t make sense like that.

Yang Hansen has been the talk of Summer League with some impressive passing and array of moves. He’s probably the big draw tonight. Well, him and Adonis Arms.

Comment here, join me on playback.tv/thedreamshake as well!

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...damian-lillard-portland-trail-blazers-houston

 

[Houston Rockets]

Rockets reaching their final stage?

Ever wondered what Pokemon each member of the Rocket’s starting five would be? look no further

Having been born in the 2000’s like many of you reading this, Pokémon was a huge part of my childhood. Even as an adult, I'm still into the Pokémon Card Game, and any free time I have that isn't spent watching NBA Basketball is spent playing Pokémon games. Being both a Houston Rockets fan and a Pokémon fan, I have begun to wonder what Pokémon each Rockets starter would be? Well, folks, as of today, I have found the answers.

(For this article, I am assuming the starting lineup is point guard Fred VanVleet, shooting guard Amen Thompson, power forward Jabari Smith Jr., small forward Kevin Durant, and center Alperen Sengun.

Fred VanVleet - Mewtwo​

Mewtwo was once the most powerful pokemon in the franchise, as it was introduced in the first generation of games, but now stronger pokemon have been discovered. This is simmilar to Fred VanVleet, as Fred went from a key piece to a title team to taking a step back to help mentor and lead this Rockets team.

Photo by Stanislav Kogiku/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Amen Thompson - Latias​

Latias is one half of the legendary Pokémon duo originally released in the Generation III games Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire. Latios is the counterpart to Latias. Similarly, Amen Thompson has a twin brother, Asaur Thompson, and while both players are still young, up to this point, Amen has been the better player, where whereas Latias is the better Pokémon out of the two. Additonally, Latias is red, which is one of the primary colors of the Houston Rockets, and Latios is blue, which is one of the primary colors of the Detroit Pistons.

Jabari Smith Jr. - Lucario/Klefki​

Introduced in Generation four, the Fighting/Steel-type Pokémon Lucario is renowned for having a well-balanced attacking and defensive skill set. In addition to having access to a variety of physical moves, including Close Combat and Extreme Speed, it can launch a potent special attack called the Aura Sphere, which is akin to a jump shot. Smith’s two-way play is mirrored in Lucario’s adaptability and capacity to perform well on both ends of the court. Additionally, Klefki, which was introduced in Generation Six, would relate to Jabari Smith’s nickname, the Locksmith, which refers to his lockdown defensive abilities.

Kevin Durant - Dusknoir​

Although it would have been easy to slot in the Pokémon called Durant from the Generation Five games, I decided to think outside of the box, which is how I landed on Dusknoir from the Generation Four games. One of Kevin Durant’s nicknames is the Slim Reaper, which is a play on the Grim Reaper, and Dusknoir is essentially the Grim Reaper as a Pokémon.

Alperen Sengun - Kadabra​

Kadabra originates from the first generation of Pokémon games, and is part of a three-stage evolution line. The first stage is Abra, a psychic-type Pokémon that then evolves into Kadabra. And finally, Alakazam. Alakazam is simmilar to a wizard in the way it is depicted in the Pokémon franchise, similar to how Nikola Jokic plays, and with the constant Sengun Jokic comparisons, I figured a pokemon that is still magical would fit for a player like Sengun who has shown us some magic, but we are waiting for him to reach his final stage.

Let me know what you all think! This is something I have wanted to sit down and write about for a while now, so let me know if you would want to see more pieces like this, and as always go Rockets.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...t-amen-thompson-jabari-smith-jr-fred-vanvleet

 

[Houston Rockets]

SB Nation Reacts results: Grade Reed Sheppard’s NBA Summer League performance

Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images

What grade did Sheppard finish with?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Houston Rockets fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

This week’s question asked you to grade the Summer League performance for Reed Sheppard. The young guard is expected to take a leap in responsibility this year, and most people were hoping to see a dominant performance from Reed in NBA Summer League to feel better about Houston’s sudden lack of guard depth after losing both Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks in the Kevin Durant deal.

It seems fair to say that Sheppard was a mixed bag, as he averaged 23 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 4 steals, 1 block and 4.5 turnovers per game. He shot just 36.4 percent from the field and 31.8 from deep.

So what grade did he get?

The B’s have the highest vote with 39 percent, and a full 73 percent of you graded Sheppard a B or C. So let’s say his final grade is somewhere around a B- or a C+. Certainly not terrible, but anyone hoping Summer League would give some answers on if Reed was ready is going to have to wait a little longer.

One final item — get yourself over to FanDuel’s NBA page, where you can bet on the remaining Summer League games, as well as the season awards, NBA champion, conference champion and more. Use this link, and you’ll be helping out TDS as well.

Thanks for voting. We’ll be back soon with more Reacts.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...nba-summer-league-performance-houston-rockets

 

[Houston Rockets]

Rockets roster is good, but not perfect

Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Will the cost of adding the greatest scorer of all-time be too much?

There is little doubt that the Houston Rockets immediately stole the NBA offseason from the rest of the league with their blockbuster trade for Kevin Durant. The subsequent moves of signing Dorian Finney-Smith to replace Dillon Brooks, adding center depth with the sign and trade of Clint Capela, in addition to a contract extension for Jabari Smith Jr. have all been heralded as very shrewd moves by the Rockets brass in their attempt to build a “win now” championship roster, and rightfully so. The Rockets have built a very good roster on paper... but it isn’t perfect.

When you look at the Rockets roster, you see size, versatility, defensive prowess and intensity... it’s even fair to say there are a few “dawgs” on this team. There is an abundance of talent. What there is not an abundance of is scoring guards. In fact, there is currently one “shooting guard” on the roster, and that is the 6’ 5” guard from Stephen F. Austin, Kevon Harris. Cue the Snoop Dogg “WHO?” meme. He is on a two-way contract and will likely spend most of his time in the Rio Grande Valley, IF he remains on the team.

The losses Jalen Green and Cam Whitmore means there is a significant drop off in explosiveness and athleticism on the perimeter, and it begs the question, who on this team can come off the bench and get buckets? The Rockets hope it’s Reed Sheppard. However, while dreams and rebellions are built on hope, NBA rosters are not. Especially ones that have championship aspirations.

The Rockets have everything they need, barring injury, to have a very successful regular season record and get into the playoffs, even in the loaded Western Conference. Do they have enough to make a deep playoff run? That remains to be seen, but from where I’m sitting, the lack of a true two-guard is a glaring weakness.

We saw the Rockets struggle to score points when they arguably had more “playmakers” on the roster with Green, Thompson, and occasionally Whitmore. Now they’re down to just one truly dynamic playmaker in Amen Thompson, and he won’t be on the floor for 48 minutes a night... at least I hope he won’t.

Who is going to score points for the Rockets when Kevin Durant is either resting in-game, not playing due to load management, or heaven forbid, not playing for an extended period of time due to injury? That is a question that the Rockets themselves don’t even know the answer to. Perhaps that person arises from the current roster in training camp. Does Tari Eason have another level he can reach on the offensive end? Is all the faith seemingly being put in Reed Sheppard going to be rewarded? Is there another level for the likes of Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun offensively? Will the Rockets be so dominant defensively that they can survive Durant-less minutes without another certified offensive threat on the floor?

All those questions remain just that... questions. The one thing we do know is there is no additional free agent signing available that automatically solves this problem. Quentin Grimes would be the next available solution to this void on the Rockets roster, but not only is he a restricted free agent for a 76ers team that desperately needs to do something positive for their roster, but the Rockets used their MLE to acquire Finney-Smith.

Jonathan Kuminga or Cam Thomas? Present the same issue... both restricted free agents and both looking to get paid far more than the Rockets can offer. Russel Westbrook? Sorry but... been there, tried that, got the t-shirt. I’m good. Malcom Brogdan? Doesn’t move the needle at all. Reed Sheppard should be better than him at this point in their careers. Truth be told, this issue may not be solved this season, and if it does, it’s likely going to be via trade. The Rockets have plenty of wing-depth... it’s just in the form of versatile big-men who lack elite explosiveness and a certified offensive bag.

I am by no means hitting the panic button on this team. In order to improve a roster via trade there is give and take. The Rockets took one of the, if not THE greatest scorer of the basketball of all time. But it did cost. The question Rockets fans have been, and will continue to ask until we see this team playing in April, May, and hopefully into June of next year... Did it cost too much?

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...nba-kevin-durant-alperen-sengun-amen-thompson

 

[Houston Rockets]

Rockets sign forward Josh Okogie to one-year deal

Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Rockets add another wing defender to the mix.

It was announced today that the Houston Rockets signed forward Josh Okogie to a one-year, $3.1 million deal.

Free agent forward Josh Okogie has agreed to a one-year, $3.1 million deal with the Houston Rockets, sources tell ESPN. Okogie enters his 8th NBA season and gives the Rockets another active wing defender who has averaged 6.3 points over 416 games. pic.twitter.com/RazV3afZq1

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 22, 2025​

The 26-year-old Okogie is a capable veteran defensive wing that adds to Houston’s already impressive wing depth. The 6’4” Okogie can also moonlight as a shooting guard in true swingman fashion, however, he’s not known as a scorer, averaging just 6.3 points per game for his career on 40.6 percent shooting from the field and 29.9 percent from beyond the arc.

He also sports other small career averages of 3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1 steal and .5 blocks per game, but perhaps most noticeably, he’s had a positive defensive box plus-minus every year of his career. He’s also had a fair amount of injury history, which is something else to keep an eye on.

This is a fine signing by the Rockets, as Okogie gives Houston immense defensive flexibilty in guarding the absolute hellscape of Western Conference scoring and playmaking talent the Rockets will be facing this year. However, it does nothing to address Houston’s biggest need for an additional scorer or shooter. Okogie is neither.

Don’t get me wrong, you can never have too many wing defenders, so I’m not opposed to this move, it just feels a little like a luxury signing when there’s such a glaring need. It appears the Rockets have a ton of faith in Reed Sheppard. I know the fanbase is a little less certain overall.

I definitely believe Reed can be that guy. Whether or not he’s ready for it right now remains to be seen, but it appears GM Rafael Stone has the confidence in him. But for the good of the Rockets, he needs to be ready. What happens when Kevin Durant and Fred VanVleet are both out? You can pencil in both of those guys for 20-25 missed games. Some will happen simultaneously. Who playmakes and scores from the perimeter on those occasions if not Sheppard?

Anyway, however, it’s ultimately a low-risk move that brings another defender into the mix. And that’s a good thing. But it’s strengthening an already strength, and not addressing an obvious need.

Welcome to Houston, Josh!

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...osh-okogie-to-one-year-deal-reed-sheppard-nba

 

[Houston Rockets]

A new look coming for The Dream Shake in August

Our coverage remains the same but with a new look

In just a couple of weeks, The Dream Shake is switching to a new platform as part of SB Nation’s network-wide move to a new publishing platform. This will change the look of the site and also make it faster and more reliable on any device you use. This is an upgrade.

When you land on the site, it will look cleaner – less clunky, with more white space, a better ad experience with faster load times – but will still have all the usual articles, analysis, and news by all the folks you know.

Community discussion and content created by you will be more prominent in the new design. The best comment threads will be easy to find, and staff and commenters alike will be able to start conversations whenever they like with a brand new tool.

We’re planning on an early August reveal, so we wanted to give you a heads up. You’ll hear more from us when it’s almost here. The site will look a little different, feel a little faster, and, most importantly, have a bigger role for you, the community.

So, stick around and check it out!

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/7/24/24472176/a-new-look-coming-for-the-dream-shake-in-august

 

[Houston Rockets]

Rockets attempted to trade for Cavaliers Dean Wade before NBA Draft

Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/NBAE via Getty Images

The Rockets almost looked very different.

The Houston Rockets historic deal for Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns in return for a package centered around Jalen Green has been the highlight of their hectic offseason. The Rockets have also made several astute low-key acquisitions, such as luring Dorian Finney-Smith from the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency. However, it was recently reported that the Rockets attempted to get Dean Wade in the week between the NBA Draft and the beginning of free agency, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.

Siegel recently covered some of the other names that the Rockets were said to be considering before acquiring Finney-Smith.

According to insiders, the Houston Rockets attempted to acquire forward Wade from the Cleveland Cavaliers before acquiring Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency, Siegel said. In exchange for a trade with Cleveland, “Houston was willing to offer Wade a full MLE extension over the next few seasons, the same deal that Finney-Smith ultimately got.”

Wade is still a valuable member of the rotation, as seen by the Cavaliers’ rejection of Houston’s trade offer. Wade’s size, defensive versatility, and dependable outside shooting appealed to Houston before they switched to Finney-Smith, who had left the Lakers, despite his unimpressive name.

Wade, 28, will make $6.6 million in 2024–2025 as he enters the last year of his current contract. He averaged 5.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 59 games played for the Cavaliers last season, shooting 36.0% from three-point range. His versatility to defend various positions and stretch the floor makes him an attractive asset, especially on a team-friendly contract, even though his numbers might not jump off the page.

In the end, both teams should be content with their outcomes. Cleavland got to keep a piece of their core, and Houston was able to poach Dorian Finey Smith from the Lakers.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...leveland-cavaliers-dean-wade-before-nba-draft

 

[Houston Rockets]

Rockets firm up two-way roster slots

Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

The Rockets are finalizing their roster for the year.

The Houston Rockets made several moves over the weekend when they signed former Boston Celtics guard JD Davison as well as forward Isaiah Crawford to a two-way deals. The team’s third two-way deal (the maximum) belongs to guard Kevon Harris, who the Rockets signed back on July 5.

The 22-year-old Davison was drafted by the Celtics in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft. He played on a two-way deal in Boston before being converted to a standard deal by the Celtics in 2025.

Davison a 6’1” point guard who’s played in just 36 total games over the three seasons of his NBA career, never averaging more than 5.8 minutes per contest. He carries career averages of 1.9 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game on 38.5 percent shooting from the field and 28.1 percent from beyond the arc.

He did have some good G League numbers, averaging 25.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.4 steals per game on 48 percent shooting from the field and 33.3 percent from deep.

The 23-year-old Crawford, who stands 6’6”, went undrafted, but linked up with the Sacramento Kings last season as one of their two-way players. He played in 15 games with the Kings, averaging just 3.3 minutes per contest.

In the G League, he averaged 13.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks per game on 50.2 percent shooting from the floor and 44.7 percent from three.

Harris also went undrafted, but has been on an exhibit 10 deal with the Los Angeles Lakers and Atlanta Hawks, as well as a two-way deal with the Orlando Magic.

Harris is a little older, at 28, and did play in 34 games with the Magic in the 2022-2023 season, averaging 4.1 points and 2.1 boards in 13.4 minutes per night.

Last year in the G League, he averaged 19.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.6 steals per night, while also shooting 44 percent from the field and 40 percent from deep.

The Rockets have completely remade their two-way roster this year, and now all three slots are filled for the season.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...s-jd-davison-isaiah-crawford-kevon-harris-nba

 

[Houston Rockets]

Five Out - Way Out?

He’ll Be Fine. Read Why. | Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images

It’s The End of July, Man.

Welcome to Another Sporadic Five Out, this time it’s still July!

Not much going on in NBA world. So I thought I’d share some random thoughts of mine, of yours, and of others, and hope you find them interesting.

Summer League Stat Translation To The NBA​

Even if you don’t play fantasy basketball, it’s probably worth listening to at least some of Locked On Fantasy Basketball with Josh Lloyd. Sometimes it’s just Josh marching through rankings and somewhat tedious fantasy stuff. Sometimes it’s really useful statistical analysis, not just for fantasy, but for how the NBA works, in general, explained well by Josh Lloyd.

Of particular note of late is an episode on whether or not efficiency collapses with more usage for NBA players. Short Answer (apologies to Josh - any mistakes my own) - sort of, but not for superstars, which is partly why they’re superstars, and not maybe the way you think. It’s really fringe stars that see statistical collapse the most with increased usage.

Also of note, his explanation of work by a group or person called The F5 that tracks just what stats from Summer Leagues translate to the NBA in a positive way. Here’s what does, according to them, and Josh: three point attempts (not percentage), assists (not turnovers), blocks, steals and to some extent, rebounds.

That’s it. That’s literally all that correlates with NBA success and translates to The Association.

Guess what? That’s just what Reed Sheppard did well. All of it. Including rebounds. Assists were in my opinion depressed somewhat by guys who couldn’t make open layups.

Remember The Morey Poison Pill?​

I wonder if a mild regret of the Rockets summer is not keeping some powder dry to force teams into something resembling the old Daryl Morey Restricted Free Agent Poison Pill (since legislated away, like Many Morey Moves). Right now three pretty interesting restricted free agent players are sitting around with what amounts to a somewhat derisory qualifying offer sitting around with them, bumming them out. (I will play for the qualifying offer.) Those players of course are Kuminga, Giddey and Grimes, which sounds like a jazz fusion band.

Because of the second apron and NBA hard cap it creates, those players’ teams have them over the metaphorical barrel. No one has any money to make a offer for their teams to match. Their teams for various reasons don’t want to pay these players much, or pay them long term.

If you still had, say, a salary exception, you might make an offer for a shooter like Grimes if you were the Rockets. Now, Stone can’t have known this would happen, and doing business early is a less risky approach than doing it late, and I have little to complain about with the Rockets roster. But some shooting would be nice. Another ballhandler would be nice. Would their teams match an offer around the midlevel exception? I’m not so sure they would.

Take This Qualifying Offer and... Send Me To A Back Specialist In Germany​

If you were Kuminga, Giddey or Grimes, what would you do, besides hope to get the call for New Orleans Jazzfest? Salary and compensation is all relative to your industry, scarcity of people who do what you do, etc. So with that in mind, I might take the qualifying offer and then mysteriously come down with a back condition that rendered me unable to play except when I felt like it.

I know there are actual physicians reading this blog, so maybe a back injury/condition/extreme-perhaps-bogus-pain isn’t the hardest condition to disprove. What is?

This condition would render me unable to provide services to my team, except occasionally. It would be miraculously cured by a long term contract with another team as an unrestricted free agent.

None of these players is old, and all are being leveraged really hard by their teams. Kuminga may be something of a doofus, but he has a point about how Golden State has treated him.

Whom Do You Hate?​

Alright, who is the target of ire on this year’s Rockets? We don’t have Jalen Green to kick around anymore, though a few got a celebratory knife or two in at his inoffensive valedictory words for the city of Houston and Rockets fans.

We know TDS must have its villain. Who will it be? Ime? Stone? Reed? Jabari? Fred? Dark horse Dorian Finney-Smith? Sengun? Tari’s leg? Amen’s dribbling? Amen’s shooting? Clint Capela being 30? Aaron Holiday’s 12 minutes a game?

Sing it out!

Quit Stopping The Clock On Shot Clock Violations​

I’ll complain about a rule here, briefly. I don’t believe a rule infraction should EVER, EVER, EVER be a benefit to the team committing the infraction. So I don’t think a team that didn’t manage to get a shot that at least hit the rim, off in 24 seconds should ever get a chance to stop and set its defense as a result of its infraction, if it’s at all possible not to stop the clock.

Sure, someone might airball a shot into the stands. Fine, the clock must stop. Otherwise, it shouldn’t stop at all, or should stop for only the time it takes for the team who caused the violation to inbound the ball. No referee grabbing and holding the ball, no setting up. If the team who caused the shot clock violation grabs the ball and throws it in within a second, great. They deserve to do that.

No Benefit To The Team Committing The Infraction. Ever.

POLL

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...ut-houston-rockets-kevin-durant-ime-udoka-nba

 

[Houston Rockets]

Cam Whitmore has the Rockets circled on his calendar

Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Cam breaks his silence in an interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson after being traded to his hometown team.

Many Houston Rockets fans are still coming to grips with the fact that Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and Cam Whitmore are no longer members of the team. While the excitement around the acquisition of Kevin Durant is palpable, many fans were looking forward to these players taking a big leap this season, in a Rockets uniform.

Even after we wrapped our minds around the fact that Jalen was gone and the Rockets essentially swapped him for one of the greatest scorers of all-time, many of us saw the silver-lining being more playing time for Cam Whitmore. That is until we quickly found out that’s not how Ime Udoka and Raphael Stone saw things. The Rockets have built a solid roster that the city is going to get behind, but we will all be giving some side eye to the now former Rocket / current Washington Wizard, and he will be watching the Rockets too.

In an interview with Brandon Robinson that can be found on his website, ScoopB.com, Whitmore was asked what his thoughts were on Kevin Durant now playing for the Rockets. His response?

I mean Kevin Durant’s a fit, but at the end of the day, that calendar is marked when the day comes, and so it’s gonna be a good game.

Rockets fans no doubt feel the same way. Many of us look forward to seeing what the young man is capable of with a real shot at consistent minutes on the floor. I myself will be rooting for the kid, when he’s not playing the Rockets of course.

Whitmore was also asked what he took away from his time with Ime Udoka and his emphasis on defense.

I mean, you said it yourself on the defensive end. You can’t get on the floor without defense. When I first arrived in the NBA, I really didn’t focus on that side of the floor but as time went on, defense could make a big impact and you don’t even have to score the ball. You can rebound and hustle back on defense and get deflections you know? Just the little stuff that helps the team win.

Again, Rockets fans should not be surprised by this answer. Ime Udoka made it very clear the moment he arrived, you don’t defend, you don’t play. That went for everyone, not just Whitmore. We have seen Ime bench everyone but Fred VanVleet, and Clutch, due to their inconsistent effort at times on the defensive end. Whitmore would do well to take that phiosophy and mindset with him to Washington, if he wants to reach the full potential that made him a first round draft pick two years ago.

While many Rockets fans fear the team gave up on him too soon, (count me in that group) Raphael Stone made it clear that the Rockets are not a developmental team anymore. The need players who know how to win and win now. Time will tell, but in five years from now, we will know if letting Cam Whitmore walk was the right thing to do. If he returns as one of the newest “Rocket killers”, then fans will be lamenting the day the Rockets let him go. Either way I believe most of us wish the young man the very best.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...calendar-nba-kevin-durant-jalen-green-wizards

 

[Houston Rockets]

ESPN ranks Houston Rockets offseason

Photo by Joseph Guzy/NBAE via Getty Images

The Rockets got high marks. Are they high enough?

With a rush of free agency transactions already behind us, the 2025 NBA offseason is well underway, and teams are still working out any lingering agreements as the summer draws to a close.

Some teams are getting used to their new superstars as the 2025–26 NBA season approaches. In particular, in June, the Phoenix Suns traded 15-time All-Star Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets. The veteran forward is expected to provide the Rockets with the boost they need to become a serious contender the following season.

ESPN put out free agency power rankings on July 30, ranking each NBA team’s offseason. The Houston Rockets came in second place just behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, jumping three spots from the prior ranking of fifth place.

Notable acquisitions include JD Davison (free agency), Dorian Finney-Smith (free agency), Kevin Durant (trade), and Clint Capela (free agency).

Notable departures include Cam Whitmore, Jalen Green, and Dillon Brooks (by trade).

After losing in the first round of the playoffs, Houston quickly addressed its offensive needs by adding 15-time NBA All-Star Kevin Durant and strengthening its perimeter defense and depth with Dorian Finney-Smith. Fred VanVleet and a youthful, hungry group of up-and-coming talent, such as Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun, are joined by those seasoned veterans. The sharpshooter Reed Sheppard, who showed Houston he is prepared for a bigger role during summer league despite inconsistencies, is another player the Rockets are counting on to improve, particularly on defense. The depth of the frontcourt will also be a devious advantage.

Honestly, I don’t have many gripes with the evaluation of Houston’s offseason; however, I feel that it should be higher than the Thunder’s. All the Thunder did was bring back the same roster as last season, whereas Houston made numerous additions to their roster to improve. The only real argument for having the Thunder’s offseason over Houston’s is that they extended their young core, and that they are elevated in the rankings because they are coming off an NBA championship.

What do you all think? Should the Houston Rockets be higher or lower on this list?

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/2025/...-offseason-kevin-durant-oklahoma-city-thunder

 

[Houston Rockets]

Welcome to the new The Dream Shake: A fresh look, fewer ads and a new feature

Things will look a little different around here today.

A few weeks ago we told you something new was coming to The Dream Shake and today it’s here. Things are cleaner, faster and easier to use. There are the same writers, coverage, comments, and community you’ve come to rely on, now with less clutter and clunkiness.

Let’s dive in. If you scroll down the page on your phone or computer, it’s smoother. You’ll notice that the most talked-about stories have a bigger font displaying the number of comments. You’ll also see a section called Active Conversations to point you to the busiest conversations right now.

But there’s two changes we’re most excited to tell you about:

Fewer ads for logged-in users​

Our loyal readers and commenters are the heartbeat of our communities, and with this new design we’re excited to offer them fewer ads when they’re logged in. Specifically:

• Video players will no longer chase you down the page. Just scroll past one and it will be gone.
• Full page pop-ups that would sometimes interrupt your commenting experience have been disabled.

You can log in or sign up here and check it out.

A new feature by the community, for the community: The Feed​

Today we’re launching a brand new space for you to come together. The Feed is a running stream of posts and updates from you, the community, mixed in with links and updates from the team and our staff. Think of it as our community’s group text where you can easily grab your phone and share a link to a story, post a question or write your own post on the day’s news.

You can find it in two places:

• On the homepage, adjacent to the top stories. Community participation is core to who we are, so we want it right on the front page to share your stuff.
• A devoted homepage for The Feed where you can see the full stream of posts coming in from the community. You might want to bookmark that.

Log in or sign up here and you can start posting on The Feed and seeing fewer ads immediately.

Today’s launch is a big deal for our community, and it’s also a kickoff of broader efforts to build around the community we have here. Soon you’ll get alerts when someone replies to your comment or your post on The Feed, with more to come thereafter. We want to put the community in the driver’s seat, so let us know what you want in the comments below or in The Feed.

If you want to dig into more of this updated experience, head over to this post on sbnation.com from SB Nation’s Head of Product Ed Clinton, where he expands on the changes in our ads and design. Ed will be responding to questions in the comments. If you have any questions about how to log in to our new system, check out this article from last week.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/rocke...hake-a-fresh-look-fewer-ads-and-a-new-feature

 

[Houston Rockets]

ESPN names Rockets Reed Sheppard top sophomore to watch in 2025-2026 NBA season

The Houston Rockets have big plans for Reed Sheppard this season. The sophomore guard has a major opportunity this year. The Rockets created a big hole in their back court when they traded away both Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks in the Kevin Durant deal. And while Dorian Finney-Smith will help mitigate that some, Houston’s need for a scorer, ball-handler and playmaker on the second unit is apparent. ESPN is recognizing this on their recent list of the top sophomores to watch this upcoming season.

ESPN has this to say about Sheppard, who garnered their number one spot:

Rookie season superlative: Following considerable hype around Sheppard a year ago, there wasn’t all that much to say about his rookie season, as he appeared in only 51 games and averaged 12 minutes on a talented Rockets team. He did score 49 points in a G League game, and Houston remains excited about him as he steps into more minutes on a team with high aspirations.

Why he’s ranked here: One subtext of Houston dealing away Jalen Green in the Kevin Durant trade is that the Rockets cleared significant backcourt minutes for Sheppard, who currently pencils in for a real role behind Fred VanVleet and Amen Thompson. The Rockets’ ability to contend in the truest sense may hang more on the growth of their young players than whatever Durant gives them: Sheppard, Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. are all going to play major roles.

While he wasn’t especially noteworthy at summer league, Sheppard is worthy of optimism — he should be walking into an ideal role as a secondary handler, playmaker and spacer who can both operate off of and make life easier for Houston’s stars. His shooting will be pivotal next to Thompson and Alperen Sengun, but he’ll also need to remain effective defensively, as the Rockets will be giving up a good deal of perimeter size when VanVleet and Sheppard share the floor. Sheppard’s instincts for winning possessions help him on that end, but he’s not exactly a deterrent for opposing shooters, either.

Sheppard has the chance to be a huge swing factor in Houston’s title chase — in theory, he’s stepping into the perfect situation. The question is whether next season is the right time and how the Rockets might have to adjust their depth accordingly. The simple fact is that we haven’t really seen him yet, and what it means for Houston’s place in the arc of this season earns him the top spot on this list.

I think that’s a pretty fair analysis. Sheppard might not end up being the best sophomore this season — though he certainly has a chance to — but he’s definitely going to be an intriguing player to watch, and he’ll have the added pressure of a title-contending team needing to rely on him in big moments. The suspense behind whether he steps up or not is what makes him a must-watch case this season.

You can find the rest of the write ups here for ESPN’s list, but the rest of the top 10 go like this:

1. Reed Sheppard
2. Stephon Castle
3. Zaccharie Risacher
4. Matas Buzelis
5. Donovan Clingan
6. Alex Sarr
7. Kel’el Ware
8. Jaylen Wells
9. Jared McCain
10. Nikola Topic

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/rocke...op-sophomore-to-watch-in-2025-2026-nba-season

 

[Houston Rockets]

Rockets open up 2025-2026 NBA season vs. Thunder

The full NBA schedule won’t be released until next week, but ESPN released the Opening Night and Christmas Day games yesterday, and the Houston Rockets have both.

First, on October 21, the Rockets will travel to Oklahoma City to face what is likely to be one of their biggest competitors this year in the defending champion Thunder. This is likely to be the early game, as the second Opening Night game is between the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors in L.A.

The Rockets also got picked for the one of the NBA Christmas Day games. For this one, the Rockets will be on the road again, this time at the Lakers. According to ESPN, there are a total if five games on Christmas Day. They are:

• Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks

• San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder

• Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers

• Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors

• Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets

So that’s a solid slate of NBA games on Christmas, and we won’t have to wait long to find out if the new KD Rockets can hang in the west. That road game vs. OKC is definite early-season measuring stick.

I’m sure the Rockets will have some more national TV games once the full schedule is released, but you know we’ll be here for all of them either way, and we’ll be back next week with more schedule highlights once the full schedule is released.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/rockets-schedule/35473/rockets-open-up-2025-2026-nba-season-vs-thunder

 

[Houston Rockets]

Tim MacMahon says Rockets aren’t going “all in” on Kevin Durant extension

For all the obvious reasons, the Houston Rockets seem to be “all in” on the 2025-2026 season. You don’t trade away a 23-year-old who was the 2nd pick in the draft and your leading scorer, for a 36-year-old of any caliber, much less one of the greatest scorers of all-time, unless you’re all in. One of the biggest question marks when the Rockets acquired Durant has been, what kind of extension is he going to want, how much, and how soon?

According to ESPN’S Tim MacMahon in the latest episode of the Hoop Collective Podcast, the Rockets are not rushing to offer Durant a max extension.

“The Rockets aren’t gonna go all-in, by all appearances and by what I’ve heard, they’re not going all-in on an extension for Kevin Durant… Now, doesn’t mean it won’t happen, but there’ve been rumblings KD’s not gonna push for the full max. I don’t know that the Rockets are going to put anything on the table that’s close to the max. I think the Rockets are like… it’s not ideal, but I don’t think they’d panic if they go into the season with Kevin Durant just on the contract that he’s on, just on the expiring deal.”

MacMahon, along with his co-hosts Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps, all praised Rockets GM Rafael Stone for his handling of the roster and contracts thus-far in his tenure, noting that most of the contracts he has negotiated have been short, and the few long-term deals he has inked (Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr.) have been widely viewed as good value contracts.

“Raphael Stone has done an outstanding job… of understanding the new economic environment the league is in… Teams have to be much better about negotiating every dollar on deals. You look at what the Rockets have done they have done great job.” – Tim Bontemps

When you factor in the way the Rockets have done business, it shouldn’t be surprising that the rumors are they appear to be taking a smart approach to whether or not to give Durant a max extension. My opinion all along has been that the Rockets should not give Durant the max. Whether or not this deal can be viewed as a win for the Rockets largely depends on how small the impact of the deal will have on the franchise’s future. If Kevin Durant knew this coming into H-town and still gave the stamp of approval, then that bodes even better for the Rockets.

As the hosts of the Hoop Collective point out in this episode, all the Rockets deals so far have been constructed to maximize space in 2027. Fred VanVleet’s deal is up in 2027, Dorian Finny-Smith will be on the non-guaranteed portion if his deal in 2027, Jabari Smith Jr. and Steven Adams’ deals both dip in salary in 2027. What the Rockets have plans for in 2027 would be pure speculation, but I have a hard time believing it’s so they can give a then 38-year-old Kevin Durant max money. The more sensible speculation would be that in 2027, they want to be able to give Amen Thompson the max deal he is projecting to have earned by that point in his career. Either way, a max extension of Durant just doesn’t seem to fit the way the Rockets have been operating, and for that reason I think Rockets fans should be taking MacMahon’s sentiments seriously.

Source: https://www.thedreamshake.com/rocke...nt-going-all-in-on-kevin-durant-extension-nba