Since the championship window ended in 2020, the Houston Rockets continue to remain in rebuild mode. In the 2022 NBA draft, players such as Jabari Smith Jr and Paolo Banchero were on their radar. After falling to the 3rd overall pick in the draft, they hoped to settle with Paolo Banchero, a solid 6’10 forward who was the ACC Rookie of the year. At Duke University, he averaged 17.2ppg, 7.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists in his freshman year, while shooting 48% from the field. He was initially predicted to be the third overall pick, but after some last minute updates, the Orlando Magic chose him first. To additional surprise, Gonzaga center Chet Holmgren was drafted second overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
This turned out to be a lucky break for the Rockets.
GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA – MARCH 20: Jabari Smith #10 of the Auburn Tigers looks on in the first half against the Miami (Fl) Hurricanes during the second round of the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 20, 2022 in Greenville, South Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Drafting Jabari Smith Jr. will give Houston some much needed offensive and defensive versatility. He has the potential to be an even better replacement for the departing Christian Wood. Offensively, he can create his own shot off the dribble, and shot 43% from three as a freshman. Defensively, he can guard multiple positions in the paint and on the perimeter. The Rockets’ defense was the worst in the league last season and adding a potential two-way player in Smith to their young lineup will definitely help.
Also based on the interviews he had, he seemed very humble and ready to win. No ego or selfishness can develop into great chemistry on the court.
Another player they drafted was the 17th pick in Tari Eason. From this decision, the Rockets are aware of their defensive liabilities and are solely focused on improving them. The SEC 2022 Sixth Man of the Year, Eason is your typical three-and-D player. A 6’8 wing player, he can guard multiple positions as well as get high percentage shots from down low. He is a team first guy, and was known at LSU to do well at the little things.
The last pick they used was the 29th pick in TyTy Washington. A 6’3 point guard from Kentucky, Washington has an exceptional mid range, a smooth floater, and dribble handoffs. Additionally his 6’8 wingspan can deflect passing through the lanes.
How does this impact their trade situation?
These picks focus squarely on improving their defense and shot creating ability. Their potential starting lineup is as follows:
Kevin Porter Jr.
Jalen Green
SF?
Jabari Smith Jr.
Alperen Sengun
The one position that is still an open slot is the small forward position. The starting small forward position is Tate’s to lose. Going undrafted in 2018, he was a great pickup for the Rockets in 2020 and excelled last season, averaging 11.6 points in 26 minutes per game and a near 50 percent from the field. A great energy guy off the bench, he has worked steadily to get himself in the starting lineup. While undersized at 6’4, that could be a viable option if the Rockets decide to go small.
This lineup has the potential for great overall team development and offers more minutes to their bench. On top of that, it’ll give more attention to the Rockets players who were underused last season. Players such as Usman Garuba, Daishen Nix, and Kenyon Martin Jr. barely had any playing time last season, and now is time for them to show why they deserve to be in the lineup. Training camp and preseason will be significant.
Sterling Brown is also an option. Returning to Houston via the Christian Wood trade, Brown is back where he had the most minutes played of his career – two seasons ago. In 51 games, he averaged a career-high 8.2 points per game and 42% from beyond the arc.
The main problem is trading John Wall and Eric Gordon. Gordon can still be a valuable piece for contending teams. The last known player during the James Harden era can still provide some production on a contending team as a spark plug off the bench or a solid starting rotation shooting guard with three-point upside. With 42% from three-point range last season in 57 games, many teams would likely benefit from his production.
John Wall is in a more difficult situation. He just picked up his 47 million dollar option to stay with the team and had no interest coming off the bench last season. He was adamant that he would not play a single game if he wasn’t starting. Wall deserves to be on a playoff-contending team and still has some years left in the tank to do so. Keeping him on the bench will be a waste of his career and salary. He has not embraced his role as a mentor for the young guys. Getting rid of these two players will further open the door for more opportunities for the Rockets’ young core.
Sometimes a rebuild is necessary
Following Houston’s success last night in the draft, it appears that there is a light at the end of this tunnel. A full rebuild hasn’t happened since drafting Hakeem Olajuwon in 1984. Before Hakeem, the Rockets had a record of 29-53 with Ralph Sampson. Following Hakeem’s rookie season, they were in the playoffs.
It Can Happen!
The rewards Houston received from trading James Harden has brought up mixed reactions from die-hard fans, but now that there’s an understanding to why it was necessary. This upcoming season may not bring Houston back to a playoff berth, but drafting Jabari Smith Jr. should absolutely accelerate their process.
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