NBA: 5 championship contenders after Kawhi Leonard’s decision

Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets, even though involved in a myriad of trade rumors, have not made any significant changes to their roster. Assuming the same team as last year, an argument can be made that they still have one more year left in their championship quest.

Sure, this will mean that resolving their internal conflicts and disagreements is a prerequisite. If they can find a way to make that happen, they’re definitely in the running for an NBA championship. What people tend to forget is that the only team that the Rockets have lost to in the playoffs since Chris Paul came into the picture is the Warriors, who are in the discussion for the greatest team of all time.

How competitive both the series were is more than enough evidence to show how dangerous the Rockets are and to a certain extent nullifies the criticisms of them not making it deep in the playoffs. With their unique and analytical driven offensive system aligned with the way the league is trending, the Rockets have a puncher’s chance in any given playoff series.

Moreover, if the Rockets stick with the same group of guys, they will be the only contending team with continuity from last season and guys can fit in their role seamlessly. Their championship hopes, however, is contingent upon fixing the Harden-CP3 dynamic and Harden being himself when it matters most.