Trading James Harden to the Nets for a handful of draft picks sent the Houston Rockets into a full-on rebuild, but don’t overlook some of their NBA odds this season. They put together an outstanding draft class and have some core players at pivotal positions.

We’re not saying this team will fight for a postseason spot — meaning you don’t need to worry about their NBA futures — but Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr., Christian Wood, Jae’Sean Tate, and Alperen Sengun are going to keep Houston competitive on most nights. We’re excited about this squad, and will keep an eye on them when making our daily NBA picks.

Rockets Win-Total Betting

The Line: 25.5 (-110) at FanDuel

The Rockets won just 17 games last season (a 20-win pace over 82 games), but they got better in a hurry this offseason, drafting Jalen Green second overall while also adding Alperen Sengun, Josh Christopher and Usman Garuba. We expect Kevin Porter Jr. to take a major leap forward with John Wall now out of the picture, and Christian Wood has All-Star potential if he stays healthy.

We’re more bullish on the Rockets than some sportsbooks. We like them as competitive nightly NBA betting picks. They’ll cover more than they don’t, especially early on.

The Bet: We think the Rockets flirt with 30 wins given their young core. Go Over at FanDuel.

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Rockets Division Odds

The Line: +10000 with TwinSpires Sportsbook

Even in a best-case scenario, the Rockets won’t be crowned division champs in the Southwest. Luka Doncic and the Mavs, Ja Morant and the Grizzlies, and even Zion Williamson and the Pelicans all have much better shots than Houston, which has the longest odds in the division. As good as this young core may be, it won’t result in them vaulting to the top of this solid division.

The Bet: There’s no value here at TwinSpires Sportsbook, even if Jalen Green is for real.

Rockets Conference Odds

The Line: +35000 at WynnBET

James Harden wasn’t able to win the West during his historic stint in Houston, so we’re not banking on a group of young (though talented) players being able to do it. They’re building something nice in H-Town, but as far as NBA futures go, you should look elsewhere for which team will represent the West in the NBA Finals.

The Bet: Nope. No value here at WynnBET.

Rockets NBA Title Odds

The Line: +30000 with PointsBet Sportsbook

Hakeem Olajuwon isn’t walking through that door. The Rockets were last crowned NBA champions in 1995, when Michael Jordan was just returning from his brief stint with baseball. It’s been tough sledding for the Rockets since, and this year’s edition is a long way away from competing in June. Betting apps agree with these massive NBA title odds, and for good reason. There’s a better chance they win the Lottery than there is them raising a title banner in 2022.

The Bet: Stay away from these NBA futures odds for the next few years.

Best Rockets Player Prop Bets

The Line: Jalen Green to win Rookie of the Year, +275 at DraftKings

There isn’t a better pure scorer in this year’s draft class than Green, and his electric style of play will make him a human highlight reel in Year 1. Scoring and ball handling are the two most important factors when determining Rookie of the Year status, and Green will easily check those two boxes as a creator in the Rockets offense. Betting sites have him even with Cade Cunningham, and that sounds about right. We think he could win it here.

The Bet: He very well could lead all rookies in scoring, which would set him up nicely to win this award. There’s value here at DraftKings Sportsbook.

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