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HOUSTON, TEXAS – APRIL 30: Fred VanVleet #5 and Amen Thompson #1 of the Houston Rockets high five in front of Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during the third quarter in Game Five of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center on April 30, 2025 in Houston, Texas.
The Houston Rockets made the blockbuster move to trade for Kevin Durant. In exchange, they sent Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the 10th overall pick, and five future second-round picks to the Phoenix Suns for the 15-time All-Star.
While Houston looks to build off their recent trade and regular season success, an NBA insider has revealed a potential next move in building a championship-contending team. According to Marc Stein, there is a ‘strong expectation’ that the Rockets will resign guard Fred VanVleet when free agency begins.
VanVleet, a former NBA champion with the Toronto Raptors, currently has a $44.9 million team option for next season. Stein believes that Houston will decline that option and choose instead to offer VanVleet a new contract.
VanVleet averaged 14.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists on 37.8% shooting in 60 regular season games.
VanVleet Expected To Stay In Houston
Stein also said that Houston ‘has not ruled out’ signing VanVleet to the team option. Regardless of the direction they go, he thinks that the 31-year-old will be on their roster next season.
“The expectation persists, whichever course Houston chooses,” Stein wrote on X. “That Fred VanVleet will continue to be its lead guard.”
VanVleet has spent the past two seasons with the Rockets and was a key piece in their 52-30 regular season record. He struggled with an ankle injury in multiple stretches throughout the year but led Houston in assists and minutes per game.
VanVleet signed a three-year $128 million deal with Houston in the summer of 2023. While his current contract expires at the end of next season, Kelly Iko of The Athletic reported that a new deal would keep him in Houston for multiple years.
A new contract for VanVleet would likely come at a discount for the Rockets, who can use that money for a Durant extension or locking down some of their young talent long-term.
Houston’s Roster After Durant Trade
By adding one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, the Rockets have retooled their lineup from one highlighted young stars to one ready to compete next season for a title.
In exchange for the two-time Finals MVP, Houston traded Green and Brooks to Phoenix, losing both their top scorer and one of their most efficient defenders. While keeping either of them would’ve been great for the Rockets, they did manage to hold onto most of their other young talent in the deal.
Notably, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore, Tari Eason, and Reed Sheppard are all staying in Houston. Along with them, Durant joins a 52-win team that also features Alperen Sengun, who earned an All-Star selection last season.
Sengun was one of seven NBA players to average at least 19 points and 10 rebounds per game in the regular season and led Houston in points and rebounds in their first-round series against the Golden State Warriors.
Based on their current roster, the Rocket’s opening night starting lineup will look something like this:
PG: Fred VanVleet, SG: Amen Thompson, SF: Kevin Durant, PF: Jabari Smith Jr., C: Alperen Sengun.
While Thompson and Durant are two players who don’t fit in the traditional mold of NBA player positions, they rank as some of Houston’s top talent, and the team expects to include them in their starting lineup in some form.
Most recently, the Rockets decided to give a three-year $39 million extension to Steven Adams. The big man will be under contract until the end of the 2027-28 season and will provide valuable experience as an 11-year veteran and former teammate of Durant.
Eli Gregorski is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy Sports. He has years of sports writing experience covering the NBA, NFL, college football and basketball, international soccer, and Formula One. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was the assistant sports editor for the award-winning CU Independent student publication. More about Eli Gregorski
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