The Rockets are 0-0 with the preseason opening October 9 at Dallas, after an offseason that trimmed the roster to 18 following the departures of Jeff Green, Aaron Holiday and two-way center Rafael Castro. Houston enters the year carrying a $205.5M payroll built around Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun, coming off a 52-30 season that ended with a six-game loss to the Lakers.
Last season
Houston went 52-30 after the July 6, 2025 trade that sent Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks to Phoenix for Kevin Durant, who played 78 games and averaged 26.0 points with 4.8 assists. The offense ran 117.5, the defense 112.1, landing at a 5.4 net rating. The Durant-Okogie-Sengun-Smith Jr.-Thompson five ran +10.3 together over 377 minutes, the deepest sample of any lineup.
This summer
Jeff Green and Aaron Holiday exited the roster September 21. Two-way center Rafael Castro was waived October 1, a move Brett Siegel reported the same day. That leaves 18 players under Ime Udoka. Payroll sits at $205.5M, above the $200.4M luxury tax line, led by Durant's $43.9M, Sengun's $35.6M and Fred VanVleet's $25.0M player option.
This week
Preseason opens October 9 at Dallas, continues October 11 at home against the Mavericks again, then the Thunder on October 15, all on NBA TV. Steven Adams was cleared from day-to-day on September 29, then listed day-to-day again that same day, with no update reported since.
October 4
The Dream Shake reported that ESPN named Udoka among the coaches facing the most pressure this season, with no games yet played to test that claim. Whether this group can get past the Lakers, after storming back from a 3-0 deficit last spring only to lose Game 6, is still the open question.
Are the Rockets 0-0 to start the season?
Yes, the 2026-27 season has not started; Houston is 0-0 heading into an October 9 preseason opener at Dallas.
Who is on the Rockets' 2026-27 roster right now?
Houston carries 18 players after Rafael Castro was waived October 1, headlined by Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr.
