To help us get through the NBA’s late-summer blues, we’re taking a look back at teams across the league and how their offseason went.
Houston Rockets
Main additions:
Reed Sheppard
AJ Griffin
Main losses:
Reggie Bullock
Boban Marjanovic
Offseason review and outlook for the 2024-25 season:
The Rockets are a fascinating team trying to navigate multiple deadlines. The coaching staff and management want to win now and brought in proven veterans last season with the clear goal of returning the franchise to respectability. Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks and Jeff Green make up the core of veterans, along with Steven Adams who was acquired last year via trade but didn’t play due to injury. But around those veterans, the front office has assembled an enviable stockpile of young players with enormous potential. I’m not a huge fan of Jalen Green personally, and his restricted free agent status next summer should be fascinating, but he’s only 22. Alperen Sengun, also 22, is already a 20/10/5 guy. Jabari Smith Jr., 21, has bounced back from a rough rookie year and should continue to improve. Amen Thompson (22), Tari Eason (23) and Cam Whitmore (20) have all shown tremendous potential. I still believe in AJ Griffin, acquired in a trade from Atlanta this summer, who is a solid shooter and is about to turn 21. And that’s before we even get to their draft pick this year, Reed Sheppard, who looked like a star in the making during Summer League.
The question I have about Houston is whether Ime Udoka has the patience to develop all these young players. That’s a lot of young talent that needs repetition to grow and needs the grace to learn from mistakes. But Udoka wants to win now, and I feel like even if he focuses on development, there may be too many mouths to feed. I think, like last season, the Rockets will be a good team, but not good enough, in the West. They’ll make you earn your wins against them, but will likely finish the season outside of the playoffs.
Why we hate them:
Dillon Brooks is one of the most obnoxious players in the NBA. And I still haven’t forgotten the Kings’ 0-3 record against the Rockets last season, including those back-to-back blowouts in November.
