Houston Texans ranked poorly in updated NBA rankings after free agency

The Houston Rockets’ desire to make the playoffs is not hidden. Rockets general manager Rafael Stone has made decisive decisions while building a solid core of young players. The development of the roster and Ime Udoka’s ability to combine talent and build solid rotations will determine the team’s potential for the upcoming season.

While Houston isn’t exactly a title contender, they are on the verge of entering the playoffs. Trading young talent and/or star players for a star player could take them to the next level, but they are coming off a 41-41 season without any big moves to take them to the next level.

As the NBA season draws to a close, CBS Sports’ Brad Botkin has updated his NBA Power Rankings. The Rockets come in at No. 20 in the league, dropping one spot from their previous ranking.

“The Rockets want to be competitive. They reportedly tried to get Kevin Durant. Without a trade like that, they can’t do much in the West other than be a nightly headache for whoever they play, but the young talent on this team is undeniable and if any team is going to pull off a total upset in the playoffs, this is the one to watch,” Botkin wrote.

As Botkin alluded to, the Rockets want to make a splash. If that doesn’t happen soon, they’ll likely be a fringe playoff team. They have the young talent to develop, combined with talent that’s winning now, but a 20th-place finish seems solid given where they are right now.

With offseason player movements continuing as usual, the Rockets could certainly find a spot in the play-in tournament, though it’s hard not to label them as a wild card. A trade or unexpected development within their young core could change everything for them.

It will be interesting to see the Rockets progress from their current situation as everything appears to be on the table.

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