“A winning basketball team not only takes a lot of talent, it takes a lot of chemistry,” Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta says, via PaperCity. “You can’t just look at it from a numbers standpoint.”
The Houston Rockets clearly aren’t ruling out superstar trade pursuits this offseason, but it’s far from a given that any will reach the finish line.
After leading the league in roster continuity prior to the 2024-25 season, the Rockets rose from 41-41 and No. 11 in the Western Conference in 2023-24 to 52-30 and No. 2 in the West in 2024-25.
As owner Tilman Fertitta sees it, that’s no coincidence. And a further leap might happen in 2025-26, should Houston simply stay the course.
“A winning basketball team not only takes a lot of talent, it takes a lot of chemistry,” Fertitta said during the recently completed 2025 playoffs, as captured by Chris Baldwin of PaperCity Magazine. “You can’t just take players, move them in and out, and change out half the team and not worry about the chemistry of the team. You can’t just look at it from a numbers standpoint.”
“You have to play together as a team. And I think one of the positives about this team is they all really like each other and they all know their place (on the team). And they all respect each other.”
“The continuity is definitely a competitive advantage,” added Patrick Fertitta, Tilman’s son and ownership’s day-to-day representative in basketball operations.
The Rockets also have in-depth knowledge of their young prospects, since each was selected after an extensive pre-draft scouting and interviewing process in recent years.
“We studied all these players that are on this team,” the elder Fertitta said, via PaperCity. “We know everything about every player on this team. Their whole life.”
In the same article, general manager Rafael Stone credits continuity as at least a partial reason for the leaps taken by some of Houston’s young players. Alperen Sengun became a first-time NBA All-Star in 2025 and drew All-NBA votes for the first time, while Amen Thompson earned Most Improved Player votes.
“Especially with a young team, we thought continuity would be helpful for the younger players,” Stone told PaperCity. “The more you know people, the more secure you feel. The easier it is to be yourself and grow.”
As things stand, Houston has a “young core” comprised of seven players selected in the first round of the 2021 through 2024 draft cycles: Jalen Green, Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, Thompson, Cam Whitmore, and Reed Sheppard. All were 23 years old or younger last season.
Should the Rockets stay the course, that internal core of young talent is probably the group from which further developmental leaps can be found. Houston’s upcoming No. 10 overall pick (via Phoenix) in the 2025 first round could add to it, if the Rockets stay put and draft there.
