Jalen Green admitted the playoff atmosphere felt daunting initially. For Green and several other young players on the Houston Rockets, this was their first taste of the postseason. It`s a significant step for a franchise whose challenging rebuilding process, which began after trading James Harden, is finally starting to yield substantial results.
“The court looked huge,” Green confessed a few nights later. “I couldn`t really settle in. My legs were a little shaky.”
The nerves were evident in the 23-year-old`s performance, marked by inefficiency. He scored only seven points on 3-of-15 shooting in Houston`s 95-85 loss in Game 1 against the Golden State Warriors, a team featuring seasoned future Hall of Famers with extensive playoff experience. That opening playoff game reinforced the common perception across the league that the Rockets, despite their surprising run to the Western Conference`s second seed, are still missing a crucial piece to become a genuine title contender.
“They`re tripping,” Green declared after bouncing back with 38 points in Houston`s Game 2 victory, a performance that showcased the 2021 second overall pick`s potential. “I`m going to go out and handle business at the end of the day. The ball`s going to be in my hands in the fourth quarter, and we`re going to make something happen.”
However, the series hasn`t unfolded that way as it returns to Houston with the Rockets facing elimination. Green scored in single digits again in both losses in San Francisco and was a spectator during the crucial final minutes of Game 4, which came down to the wire with Alperen Sengun missing a tough potential go-ahead shot over Draymond Green on an isolation play.
The central question remains glaringly apparent: How will the Rockets acquire the elite offensive catalyst that all truly great teams possess?
The hope within the Houston organization is that this pivotal player will develop from within their current roster.
“We aren`t in the business of predetermining ceilings for our players,” General Manager Rafael Stone stated.
But Plan B involves leveraging some of the assets the Rockets have patiently accumulated over the last five years to accelerate their timeline through a major trade.
Green is Houston`s leading scorer and one of several players (“bets,” as Stone calls them) the Rockets are hoping will develop into the All-NBA level talent required for a championship run. Sengun, a skilled center, earned his first All-Star selection this season at age 22. Amen Thompson, 22, the fourth pick in the 2023 draft, has already established himself as a dominant defensive player and is only beginning to tap into his offensive potential. Rockets decision-makers view guard Reed Sheppard, the third pick who hasn`t consistently cracked the deep rotation as a rookie, as potentially the most naturally gifted offensive talent on the team.
“We`re all aligned regarding what we have in our organization and wanting to see it through, seeing what all these young guys can become,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka recently told ESPN. “When you have this many high draft picks, you want to see who develops into what. I understood when I took the job that we would try to develop these guys and see where it leads us. I believe they`ve all demonstrated growth and potential. And the next step is identifying who can be that consistent leader for us.”
“So trying to speed up the process by acquiring one piece now would be somewhat of a disservice to what we discussed from the beginning. That`s our vision, and I think this year`s playoffs will provide a good evaluation, placing guys in different, high-pressure situations to observe their reactions.”
The evaluation of the young stars` initial playoff experience will be a critical component of internal discussions. A blockbuster trade would necessitate giving up some of that young talent, although Houston has reportedly indicated to other front offices that Thompson is considered untouchable.
“There`s no doubt in my mind that multiple guys on this current roster have the potential to be the best player on a championship team, considering their age,” Patrick Fertitta, the 30-year-old son of owner Tilman Fertitta and ownership`s daily presence in basketball operations, told ESPN late in the regular season. “You typically don`t see players at this age already being `that person,` but I`m very confident that one, if not a few, of these guys can reach that level.”
“That being said, anytime a player of that caliber becomes available, it would be irresponsible not to perform your due diligence.”
The Rockets have built a team that mirrors their coach`s tough identity. The additions of veteran players Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, alongside the development of their young core, propelled Houston to a significant jump in competitiveness last season, followed by another leap to a 52-30 record this season.
Udoka`s Rockets win with tenacity and physicality, leading the league in rebounding rate and ranking fifth in defensive rating, compensating for a relatively average offense. However, this style, without a leading superstar scorer, has limitations in the playoffs.
“We know in the playoffs sometimes, it comes down to whether you have a player who is unguardable in the final five minutes, someone who can close out games,” VanVleet told ESPN. “We have everything else. I don`t think it`s like some savior who will come here and fix all our issues, but rather, do you have a player you can give the ball to in the final five minutes of a playoff series who can win you games when it matters most?”
“I think if we had that, we would be considered more of a title favorite. Now, you can still achieve playoff success, but it`s simply harder. The margin for error is smaller.”
VanVleet hasn`t been that specific player, but he is an excellent leader and a key part of the Rockets` future, whether they exercise his $44.9 million team option for next season or sign him to a longer deal. He agrees with Udoka and the front office that there are potential superstars already on the roster.
In fact, inside the team`s modern practice facility, some of the league`s top players are occasionally used as benchmarks when discussing the young talent on the Rockets` roster.
For example, it`s been observed that Jalen Green`s statistical output through his first four seasons is quite similar to Phoenix Suns superstar Devin Booker`s at the same age, although Booker had already established himself as an elite scorer by then, albeit on a struggling team. Current criticisms of Green center on his inconsistency and efficiency, but Booker`s trajectory serves as evidence of the progress a volume-scoring shooting guard can make in those areas with maturity.
“I don`t know if you can acquire another shooting guard with that upside or talent level,” VanVleet said of Green. “Perhaps [Anthony Edwards] in Minnesota. I don`t know, does Book have more talent than Jalen, or is he more skilled, more polished, more experienced, and older?… I don`t know what Jalen will look like when he`s 26, 27, 28 after experiencing playoff series. And that`s the upside, where potential can be somewhat intoxicating. He has the talent. There`s no reason he shouldn`t reach that level. He needs to go through the process; he needs to experience failure.”
Sengun`s statistics at 22 resemble three-time MVP Nikola Jokic`s numbers at the same age, although opposing scouts and executives consider three-time All-Star Domantas Sabonis a more realistic comparison among the league`s high-scoring, skillful passing big men.
“His highlights, his flash, everything is loud,” VanVleet said of Sengun. “His mistakes are loud, and his successes are loud. Once he becomes more consistent, hitting the `singles` on a daily basis, I believe his potential and overall level will continue to rise.”
Rockets front office members occasionally ponder whether the 6-foot-7 Amen Thompson, whose jump shot is still very much a work in progress, could eventually replicate many aspects of Russell Westbrook`s game in his prime. The Rockets haven`t frequently tasked Thompson with running the offense as a primary point guard yet, but they certainly haven`t ruled out that possibility for the future.
Udoka demonstrated confidence in Thompson by calling his number in a game-on-the-line situation during the final seconds of a January road game against the defending champion Boston Celtics. Thompson attacked All-Star wing Jaylen Brown in isolation, creating enough space for a game-winning floater to cap off a 33-point performance.
“He has already become a truly good NBA player,” Stone commented. “He should be significantly better next year than this year, and that improvement should continue for the foreseeable future. He`s a great kid, works exceptionally hard, and is very smart. Everything we`ve asked him to do, he has done, often quickly and at times surprisingly easily.”
Sheppard is sometimes mentioned in the same context as Hall of Fame point guard Steve Nash, another smaller guard who played sparingly as a rookie. At 6-2, 185 pounds, Sheppard faces a considerable adjustment to the NBA level, especially on a competitive team, but the Rockets remain optimistic about his potential to develop into a star.
“I think Reed is simply a remarkably talented player,” Stone stated. “Very few people shoot as well as he does. Very few people pass as well as he does, and even more than just passing, they don`t see the offense so clearly and effortlessly. That`s not a skill that is easily taught, not at the level he possesses it. We believe he has the potential to be truly special.”
Once Houston`s season concludes, the team`s leadership will have a clearer understanding of precisely how close the Rockets are to being serious contenders. This assessment will influence the front office`s offseason decisions, but the Rockets will be hesitant to make moves that would shorten the franchise`s potential window to compete for championships.
“This league and this business are very emotional,” Patrick Fertitta observed. “There`s the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, and it`s crucial that you don`t make significant or even marginal changes based purely on emotion.”
The Rockets` key decision-makers — Stone, Udoka, and Patrick Fertitta — are aligned in their ambition to allow this young core to mature together. Nevertheless, it`s anticipated that there will be internal discussions, at a minimum, this summer regarding potential pursuit of stars in the trade market.
Does Kevin Durant make sense for the Rockets entering his age-37 season, considering the cost of acquiring him and extending his contract? How aggressively would Houston pursue 30-year-old Giannis Antetokounmpo if he eventually requests a trade from Milwaukee? What about younger stars who might fit Houston`s timeline better? Is Zion Williamson`s immense potential worth the inherent risks? Perhaps Ja Morant if he becomes available via trade?
“There`s a very high bar for making a transaction that truly alters our trajectory,” Stone told ESPN, emphasizing the optimism that the current young players` improvement can drive the Rockets` continued ascent.
Patrick Fertitta was the high-ranking executive who famously stated the organization was “comfortable being uncomfortable” after James Harden, the face of the franchise for years, demanded a trade during the 2020 offseason. The quote was anonymous at the time, but Fertitta is proud of it now.
Those three words encapsulate the patience the Rockets have demonstrated over the past five years.
The statement specifically referred to navigating Harden`s aggressive discontent while negotiating a trade that the Rockets believed could position them to eventually open another window for championship contention. Houston`s brass made the strategic decision to prioritize a historic collection of first-round picks from the Brooklyn Nets over the Philadelphia 76ers` offer, which was centered around then-All-Star guard Ben Simmons – a choice that was criticized initially but has aged remarkably well.
Patrick Fertitta and Rafael Stone had the task of convincing Tilman Fertitta, a billionaire who purchased the team when they were among the NBA`s elite, that deliberately finishing at the bottom was Houston`s most realistic path back to contention. They also had to persuade Tilman to stick with the plan at times during the following three seasons when Houston won a combined total of only 59 games.
Nearly five years later, the Rockets` roster is filled with direct and indirect benefits from the Harden trade. Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., and Amen Thompson were added with high lottery picks as a direct result of the Rockets` poor records during that three-year period. Tari Eason, like Smith a valuable, defense-focused role player, and Reed Sheppard have been selected with the picks acquired from Brooklyn.
In a separate deal last summer, Houston returned control of the Nets` first-round pick in the next two drafts in exchange for another package of picks. Consequently, the Rockets now own the Suns` first-round picks in 2025, 2027, and 2029, as well as the Dallas Mavericks` 2029 first-rounder. Houston also retained the right to swap first-round picks with the Nets in 2027.
These assets provide the flexibility for the Rockets to engage in any potential superstar trade discussions this summer – if that`s the direction the team chooses to take. That path is far from guaranteed, regardless of Houston`s playoff performance.
“Even though it`s exciting to feel like you are potentially close, it`s important to operate with the same level of patience that brought us to this point and ensure that we`re always making decisions not just for today but for the long term,” Patrick Fertitta emphasized. “Because we never want to prioritize the near future over the distant future. If the right opportunity arises where we feel we can significantly improve, we will always do the work to determine if it`s the correct move.”
“But in an ideal scenario, we would love to see this group grow together, as they already have, and become contenders in this league. And if everyone can improve, both individually and collectively, we believe the group we have today has the capability to compete in May and June – and hopefully sooner rather than later.”
