The Houston Rockets entered the 2023-24 season with hopes of reaching the play-in tournament. The Rockets went as far as doubling up in phase two of the rebuild, meaning the rebuild was complete.
However, after almost 60 games, those hopes are all but dead. The Rockets are 25-34, 12th in the Western Conference and 6.5 games out of the 10th and final play-in spot.
In other words, they don’t grab the 10th seed.
That being said, the final 23 games of the season are important because they could give Rockets coach Ime Udoka some insight into what he will be working with next season.
He will need to make sure he knows who to invest time in and who to stay away from. Let’s take a look at several players who need less time down the stretch.
Jalen Green’s third-year regression was a huge disappointment. This was supposed to be his year to reverse the narratives that he was a losing player.
Instead, he had arguably his worst season. His ball handling has been a huge problem, along with his inability to shoot threes.
In addition, he is constantly undressed when traveling. To make matters worse, he doesn’t seem to be able to take responsibility for his struggles.
Fred VanVleet was the Rockets’ marquee signing this offseason. The team desperately needed a field general and he was one of the best on the market.
He’s one of the least efficient players in the league, and it’s not just his first time. He is a negative scorer and has even struggled defensively, which was supposed to be his calling.
He’s also made smart decisions and is too busy feeding Alperen Sengun, even when it’s not the best play.
Although the Rockets spent big money on the aforementioned VanVleet this offseason, the long-term point guard of the future is Amen Thompson, who the Rockets landed with the fourth pick. While Thompson is still a raw, raw prospect, he has been an elite defender.
Thompson is by far the best point of attack defender on the team. And even though he’s not a shooter, he’s still had a big impact for the Rockets, both on the glass and as a defender.
And his play was his greatest achievement in the draft. The Rockets’ best bet down the stretch would be to lean on Thompson and play him more, which would be easier to do by benching Green.
Cam Whitmore has been nothing more than a plus for the Rockets. The former Villanova slasher is one of the youngest players in the league and would arguably be the first player taken in the 2024 NBA draft, should he stay in college for another year.
The Rockets tried to bury him in the G-League, but he easily proved too good for that level of competition. But it’s still raw and needs more repetition.
He’s proven he’s capable of scoring (12 points on 46.7 percent from the field, 37 percent from three, 57.8 percent true shooting), but that’s about all he’s got. he has done well this season. Given that the Rockets’ season is all but over, it would make sense to focus on Whitmore’s growth and development down the stretch.
Following. They turned their backs on the Rockets. 18 People Who Turned Their Backs on the Rockets. dark
