Houston

Rockets

The veteran team will join his fifth NBA team after agreeing to a deal with the Jazz. Okogie, known for his defensive versatility, spent last season with the Rockets, where he averaged 4.5 points across 78 regular-season games. He’s unlikely to see significant enough playing time to produce at a level that is valuable for fantasy basketball next season.

For Houston, this move was all about creating financial flexibility. Charlotte adds a veteran forward that can still play a solid role off the bench if needed, but they also added three more second-round picks, pushing their total to 20 over the next seven years. That gives them plenty of ammo to make moves in the future, while DFS will make an impact in the locker room immediately.

Eason was a restricted free agent this offseason, but managed to stay with the Rockets without signing an offer sheet elsewhere. The 25-year-old power forward has been a regular bench option for Houston, appearing in 117 games over the past two seasons while averaging 11.2 points and 6.3 rebounds. Sometimes the best ability is availability and Eason would have more fantasy value if he could play a full season next year.

Still only 32, Smart is a 12-year NBA veteran best known for his nine-year tenure with the Celtics. He won the Defensive Player of the Year award in the 2021-22 season. Smart was still a significant piece for the Lakers last year as he averaged 9.3 points and 3.0 assists in 28.5 minutes per game. He opted out of his contract with the Lakers and was rewarded by the Rockets with a slight pay bump. NBA Insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer previously reported the Rockets were a potential landing spot for Smart.

VanVleet, who will make $25 million next season, did not play at all in 2025-26 after suffering a torn ACL weeks before the start of training camp. In his first two seasons with the Rockets, the point guard averaged 15.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.9 three-pointers per game. Last season, Houston missed VanVleet’s on-court leadership and ability to organize, which factored into the team’s first-round playoff elimination. It’s unknown whether VanVleet will be a full go at training camp in late September, but his availability would be a big deal for the Rockets.

After two seasons at Syracuse, Copeland played for Will Wade at both McNeese and NC State before turning pro this spring. The 6-foot-6 guard’s lone season at NC State was his most productive, with Copeland averaging 13.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.7 three-pointers in 28.9 minutes, shooting 49.4 percent from the field, 39.7 percent from three and 77.7 percent from the foul line. In addition to the playmaking ability, Copeland showed signs of being able to do more as a perimeter shooter at the next level. It was a surprise that he went undrafted, but this is a good landing spot for Copeland to develop. The Rockets have a lot of talent at the top, but he should help provide depth in the backcourt.

Thornton spent all four of his seasons at Ohio State, with the production improving each year. As a senior, the 6-foot guard averaged 19.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.8 three-pointers, shooting 55.4 percent from the field and 82.9 percent from the foul line. Measured at 223 pounds at the NBA Draft Combine, Thornton’s strength and lower center of gravity make him a challenging player to keep from getting to his spots offensively. The Knicks once again moved down in the draft, sending picks 31 and 55 to Houston for 39, 53 and a 2029 second-round pick via Sacramento. As a result, Thornton is headed to Houston, which needs perimeter depth with Fred VanVleet coming off a torn ACL and Aaron Holiday being a free agent. Given his experience and physical build, Thornton will have an opportunity to crack the back end of the rotation.

New York initially held pick No. 24 in this draft, but they have made multiple moves down, and their first pick will now be at 39. Houston will now hold the first pick of the second round, which will be their first selection in this draft.

While Sheppard scored in double figures in five of the six games in this series, his second NBA season ended with a whimper on Friday. The Rockets guard shot 1-of-10 from beyond the arc and converted just three of his nine two-point attempts. And with Kevin Durant (ankle) still out, the Rockets could ill afford to have Sheppard shoot as poorly as he did in Game 6. Fantasy-wise, while Fred VanVleet’s absence did open things up for Sheppard, few managers expected him to provide top-100 value during the regular season. With a healthy VanVleet and Durant in the fold, Sheppard’s ADP (113 this season) is unlikely to receive a boost ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.

Eason recorded a complete stat line in his final game of the 2025-26, and potentially his last as a Houston Rocket. The fourth-year forward will be a restricted free agent this summer, and there should be some options for him to choose from. However, availability has capped his fantasy ceiling in recent seasons, and that may also affect his market in free agency. After appearing in all 82 games as a rookie, Eason has played in 60 regular-season games or fewer in each of the last three.