A lot has changed for the Houston Rockets since the 2022-23 season. That season, the Rockets won only 22 games, down from 20 and 17 in the two previous seasons.

In The Athletic ’s recent survey of Rockets fans, Kelly Iko showed that there was an obvious choice among fans for who should take that fifth spot. With 76.4% of the vote, Jabari Smith Jr. overwhelmingly beat Tari Eason, Dorian Finney-Smith and Steven Adams.

With that said: Should Antetokounmpo ask to leave Milwaukee in future years — i.e. closer to that contract expiration date — it could be worth noting that Stone and Horst seemingly have a positive relationship, and the Rockets and Bucks are in different conferences. That might make a deal more palatable to Milwaukee.

Rockets GM Rafael Stone revealed that from day one, Milwaukee shut down the idea of trading Giannis Antetokounmpo.

For Houston Rockets legend Yao Ming, when he had to pay a visit to the Philadelphia 76ers, he loved the city of Philadelphia for one reason: the cheesesteaks.

Respect to GM Rafael Stone and Houston’s front office for not bowing at the OKC altar and shooting their shot.”

Only 15.3 percent of Rockets fans expect Houston to either reach or win the 2026 Finals, based on a survey of more than 700 fans compiled by The Athletic’s Kelly Iko. A majority of fans (65.7 percent) expect Houston to reach the Western Conference finals before failing to win the West for the first time this century.

When Earvin "Magic" Johnson returned to active duty in 1996, it seemed like brighter days were ahead for the Los Angeles Lakers. LA did just that in the regular season, snagging the top seed in the Western Conference. However, he knew that battles are different in the postseason and the three-time MVP was a bit concerned about their chances.