What's next for the Rockets? Questions about Ime Udoka, Kevin Durant, others will define offseason

The Houston Rockets had high hopes for the future when they traded for Kevin Durant in the offseason, but the season did not go as planned.

First, point guard Fred VanVleet suffered a season-ending injury before the season even began, leaving Houston without a lead guard. Then, despite winning the same number of games as last year, the Rockets never seemed to find any rhythm on offense.

Moving forward, the Rockets have to face the reality that the Western Conference is a gauntlet, which could impact some of the team's future moves. Houston heads into the offseason with questions surrounding the team's core and head coach.

Here's a breakdown of where the Rockets go from here.

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Kevin Durant's future

Once again, Durant's future with his team is a question despite the veteran having another strong season. Durant's injuries in the playoffs were a big reason why the Rockets lost to the Lakers, as Houston ended up with a similar season than they had last year without Durant.

There is no guarantee that the Rockets will want to bring Durant back next year, especially considering he can opt-out after the 2026-27 season. Houston will have to decide on a direction for the future and whether it makes sense to keep Durant or move on with a focus on the younger core.

Durant will be 38 years old next year and presumably wants another chance at an NBA title. If he doesn't think the Rockets are title contenders, he might once again ask for a trade to a contending team.

Will the Rockets fire Ime Udoka?

The Rockets entered the year as an NBA Finals favorite, but their disappointing finish leads to questions around Ime Udoka. The Rockets head coach has been with the team for three seasons and led Houston to back-to-back 52-win seasons, the team's best stretch since the late 2010s.

Still, the Rockets offensive issues have led some to believe Udoka isn't the right person to lead this group of players. However, it's hard to imagine Houston moving on from Udoka unless there is a serious locker room divide between the coach and the players.

Udoka's .589 winning percentage as Rockets head coach is currently third in franchise history and trails just Kevin McHale and Mike D'Antoni. While Udoka and the Rockets coaching staff need to do a better job next year, firing him would be pretty unprecedented just three years in.

Do the Rockets trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo?

With Giannis Antetokounmpo as the biggest trade chip of the offseason, the Rockets are very much in play to make a competitive offer. Houston doesn't have a first-round pick this year but owns five picks in the next three drafts beyond that, along with a variety of young players who could intrigue the Milwaukee Bucks.

The battle for Antetokounmpo will be a complicated one, as the Bucks star will make $58 million next year and has a $62 million player option for the following season. In order to acquire Antetokounmpo, the Rockets would need the forward to want to play for them and find a way to match salaries in the trade.

Of course, the Rockets also have to weigh the other suitors that could be in play for Antetokounmpo. The rival San Antonio Spurs are a possible destination if they fall short this year, and the powerhouse Oklahoma City Thunder certainly have the assets to make a run as well.

As Houston has 104 regular season wins over the last two years, the Rockets could very well decide to move forward with their young core instead of going all-in on Antetokounmpo. But that could also mean letting another Western Conference contender end up with the star forward.