HOUSTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 10: Fred VanVleet #5 of the Houston Rockets celebrates a three point ... [+]
The Houston Rockets broke the bank last offseason, entering the summer with cash to spend and a clear goal to upgrade the roster with veterans. To that end, Rockets general manager Rafael Stone signed veterans Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks to massive multi-year commitments and used the rest of his cap space to ink forwards Jock Landale and Jeff Green to shorter term deals. There will be no such spending this offseason, heading into 2024-2025, with the Rockets projected to have $164.027 million in total cap allocations, per spotrac.com.
The Rockets’ highest paid player, for a second straight season, will be VanVleet, slated to earn $42.84 million, or roughly 30% of the Rockets’ cap sheet. While the $42.84 million figure may seem lofty, VanVleet may have been the Rockets’ most important player last season with the Rockets unable to get into any form of organized offense without him on the floor. Houston outscored opponents by 5.9 points per 100 possessions last season in the 2684 minutes during which VanVleet was on the court. With the 30-year-old on the second year of a three-year contract (and one carrying a team option for the third season), Rockets brass will no doubt want to ease the team’s dependence upon VanVleet. 6’7 point guard Amen Thompson, the fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft, had an impressive rookie season, but he spent most of his time at the wing. Thompson is the heir apparent at the position and will need to be groomed to take over the role in the future.
One burning question for the Rockets is whether Stone would look to use VanVleet’s contract as a massive expiring contract at the trade deadline, given the option on the third year. Such a course of action would only be viable if Thompson proved himself ready to take over the team.
The second highest paid player in 2024-2025 will be Dillon Brooks, the other marquee addition for Houston last offseason. Brooks is set to earn $22.25 million next season, constituting 15.78% of the Rockets’ total cap. Brooks was instrumental in setting the tone early last year for the Rockets in establishing one of the league’s top defenses, defending the opponents’ best player every night and bringing much needed physicality. But his shooting tailed off significantly over the course of the season. Brooks shot 41% from deep in November and 38% in December. He shot just 25% in March. Like VanVleet, Brooks is a bridge to the future with Rockets brass hopeful that either sophomore Cam Whitmore or third year standout Tari Eason will seize the starting small forward position eventually. Brooks still has three more guaranteed years on his contract (including 2024-2025), but could make for an attractive trade chip if the Rockets go big game hunting given his large salary and reputation as one of the league’s most pesky defenders.
Rounding out the Rockets’ top salaries in 2024-2025 is Steven Adams, acquired from Memphis at last year’s trade deadline, set to earn $12.6 million, constituting 8.9% of the team’s cap. It’s hard to believe that Adams is still just 31 years old. Houston hopes Adams can spell center Alperen Sengun or play alongside him in spurts against bigger, more physical teams.
Fourth year guard Jalen Green and Sengun are each eligible for extensions this offseason, up to their maximum salaries; if either reaches an agreement with the Rockets’ front office, it would catapult them into the team’s top salaries.
