The Houston Rockets are primed and ready for the 2026 season, with the hope of advancing farther than they did last season after going down in six games to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.

In order to take that next step, it is critical for the younger players on this roster like Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson, and Reed Sheppard to continue developing. Additionally, the roster overall, needs to stay healthy, but specifically Kevin Durant who was unavailable for most of the first-round series, which no doubt made a major impact on the outcome.

While the stars and the young talent on this team are very important, the role players and the veterans will play roles that are just as critical.

So, heading into the 2026 season, here are three Rockets' veterans who could make a key impact on what this team can accomplish.

The first veteran up is center Steven Adams, who should be a solid piece for the Rockets in the frontcourt. Last season, Adams played just 32 games as he was dealing with a grade-three ankle sprain, which required season-ending surgery. Before the injury, Adams averaged 5.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 50.4 percent from the field.

Throughout Adams'career, he has put up solid numbers, but often his impact is more than just what the stats sheet says. Adams' ability to set screens to free up shooters and create extra possessions with his effort and hustle are just two of the things that he does to make an impact on the game.

For next season, Adams will most likely serve as the backup center to Alperen Sengun, but off the bench he could be the boost the Rockets need on the rebounding side, as well as being a very good screen setter and being able to alter shots at the rim. Adams could also find himself in with the starters if Houston finds that they need to go big to match another lineup, which could place Adams at center and Sengun at power forward.

As Adams prepares for the 2026 season, his ability to make a major impact on both ends of the floor is something that could be huge for the Rockets and could help this team to have one of the more balanced attacks in the NBA.

The next veteran to pay attention to in 2026 is Bogdan Bogdanovic, who has the ability to play both guard and forward. This offseason, the Rockets lost both Josh Okogie and Dorian Finney Smith, which created a hole for Houston, so general manager Rafael Stone responded by signing Bogdanovic in addition to Marcus Smart.

Focusing on Bogdanovic, he has an opportunity to make a significant impact for the Rockets in 2026 with his ability score beyond the arc and really all over the floor. During the 2025 season, Bogdanovic recorded 7.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game as he shot 38.8 percent from the field, 34.7 percent from three-point range, and 80 percent from the free-throw line.

The only downside for Bogdanovic is the fact that he played in just 23 games last season due to lower-body injuries, as well as the Los Angeles Clippers running a rotation that did not often include him. Regardless, Bogdanovic's ability to shoot the ball and be a threat from the perimeter is something that could be huge for the Rockets' offensive attack. 

Heading into the 2026 season, if Bogdanovic can stay healthy and continue his consistent shooting from the perimeter, he could help this offense tremendously by giving players like Sengun and Durant more space to operate inside the arc by forcing the defense to pay more attention to the perimeter.

The final veteran on this list is point guard Fred VanVleet, who is ready to bounce back after missing the entire 2025 season due to a torn ACL and a torn meniscus. While VanVleet did miss a significant amount of time, his vast amount of NBA experience should help him to get back into his rhythm near the beginning of the 2026 season.

During VanVleet's 2024 campaign, which was the season before his injury, he performed quite well as he tallied 14.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game while shooting 37.8 percent overall from the field, 34.5 percent from three, and 81 percent from the free-throw line. In 2025, it was clear that the Rockets missed VanVleet, especially on the offensive end, which is why his return could be so impactful.

In Houston's first-round exit, the entire team had a tough time scoring consistently, specifically from beyond the arc, which is where VanVleet can make a key impact. The Rockets were also without an experienced point guard for key stretches, which also made offense difficult to come by in the postseason against the Lakers.

If VanVleet can be ready to begin the season, his ability to score from the perimeter and initiate consistent offense for the Rockets could give Houston the offensive boost they need to take the next step and quite possibly become a top-end contender in the Western Conference.