This week, the 2026-2027 NBA season is set to kick off. The likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Jaylen Brown, and Kawhi Leonard are all set to make their regular-season debuts with a new team.
While Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson remain at the Houston Rockets’ core, the franchise made a few key changes during the offseason. The biggest decisions for the Rockets included the signing of defensive specialist Marcus Smart and veteran wing Bogdan Bogdanovic, as well as acquiring Bruce Thornton in the 2026 NBA Draft. On the other end, Houston saw the departures of Dorian Finney-Smith and Josh Okogie.
The preseason period has already given an early glimpse of this summer’s adjustments, as the Rockets accumulated a 2-1 record with a variety of different lineups. For instance, Smart outscored Kyrie Irving when the two guards faced off in Macao.
The question is, what was the best offseason move made by the Rockets? Writers from OnSI weighed in on the topic.
Amir Motameni
“You might be surprised by my answer, but for me, it's hiring Chip Engelland as their shooting coach. I don’t think this move is getting enough attention from the fanbase. I’m a big believer in Amen Thompson, and I expect him to make a leap this season, and I really think he's a consistent jump shot away from becoming a superstar in this league. Engelland is one of the best shooting coaches in the NBA and if he can even slightly help Thompson that will be a huge win.
I'm also excited about what he can do for Jabari Smith Jr., who I still believe has another level to reach offensively. The Rockets already have the talent to compete for a championship, but getting Amen and Jabari to take that next leap could make this team scary for years to come.”
Ethan J. Skolnick
"It was a quietly effective offseason, with the Rockets banking on Fred VanVleet's return to health to fill out the starting lineup, and extending Amen Thompson at a reasonable rate to keep the young core aligned. But the addition of Marcus Smart shouldn't be overlooked, because Houston was missing a fiery element and Smart should provide that -- while also giving them some steady ball-handling, occasional three-point shooting (as long as he doesn't overdo it) and capable defense (even if he's not what he was).
But the biggest beneficiary of Smart's presence may be Reed Sheppard, who didn't appear ready for a main ballhandling role last season and now can get comfortable as a reserve shooter and igniter, which is probably where he fits best right now. The ideal scenario is that Sheppard and Smart can become an elite bench backcourt duo, which would also take pressure off VanVleet and the starters."
Add us as a preferred source on Google