The Houston Rockets have been rebuilding since the start of the 2020-21 season after trading James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets, but the team now appears to be starting to challenge for a playoff spot.
After four straight years of selecting a player in the top four picks, the Rockets have a wealth of young talent that can make them one of the best teams in the NBA.
Bleacher Report reporter Dan Favale believes the Rockets have the 16th-best three-year prospects in the NBA.
“Alperen Şengün, Jalen Green, Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore and Tari Eason are all essential to this team and are far from finished products,” Favale writes“There could also be a steady shift in the pecking order, not only because players like Thompson and Sheppard continue to improve, but also because Houston is prioritizing 2025 salary cap space and accumulating assets that point to a big change. All of that is great stuff. It still takes time. And to Houston’s credit, it shouldn’t take much work. Flexibility and a bevy of young, growing players is a recipe for impressive returns.”
The Rockets have a long-term plan that extends beyond the next three years. In 2027, not all of these players will be in Houston because the team won’t be able to afford them all. However, most of these players will represent the core and that should excite the Rockets and keep them in the conversation for a contender spot for a long time.
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