Hype is Real is an NBA.com Philippines series that gives an optimistic view of every NBA team heading into the 2022-2023 season. This is our way of convincing people why they should support and watch a particular team.
Overview of their 2021-2022 season
The Rockets officially transitioned into the post-James Harden era, and it goes without saying that losing one of the best shooting guards in NBA history has hurt their standings. They fell to the bottom of the Western conference rankings with a disappointing 20-62 win-loss finish. Nonetheless, fans still have a lot in store for them as the franchise has now entered a new age that is focused on Jalen Green, the second overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft.
What’s new this season?
NBA journalist and sportscaster Zach Lowe said on his podcast: “There just aren’t many teams that are this well set up for the future, in the whole league…This team is now a sleeping giant in free agency, starting next summer, and could go from bad to interesting really freaking fast.” And rightfully so.
The Rockets have two elite young prospects in Green and Jabari Smith Jr., both expected to lead the rebuilding team along with their extensive future draft capital. Houston got busy during the offseason and traded veteran center Christian Wood and let go of former All-Star John Wall, who experienced knee and Achilles injuries.
Looking more at the bright side for the Rockets is the consistent improvement of shooting guard Kevin Porter Jr. He averaged a well-rounded 15.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game, assisting the production of Green in the backcourt. He undoubtedly plays a significant role in Houston's youth movement and is anticipated to provide the Rockets with the much-needed spark by complementing Green, Smith, and hopefully another top draft pick.
Other than the regularly talked about players, we can also expect to see the likes of Alperen Sengun, Jae’Sean Tate, and Kenyon Martin step up this season to complete the Rockets’ player rotation.
THE guy
With the departure of Harden and Wall, all eyes are on Green. The 20-year-old wasn’t really getting league-wide attention at first compared to the likes of Evan Mobley, Scottie Barnes, and Cade Cunningham who had better early performances. After the Rockets slumped down in the standings and were officially out of playoff contention, Green rose to the occasion and increased his stats. He surprised everyone by averaging 22.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists from March until the end of the Rockets’ season.
Head coach Stephen Silas gave the keys to the car to Green in the previous season, giving him more playing time compared to veterans Wall and sharp-shooter Eric Gordon. The expanded minutes allowed him to showcase his prowess on the stretch and give the franchise more reasons to see him as the plausible cornerstone of the Rockets’ future.
Sneaky fun guy
Sengun is expected to get more runs this season. The big guy has a unique way of executing pump fakes and no-look passes which makes him so fun to watch. With his versatile offense, he can score in many ways, holding up 16.7 points in under 36 minutes per match. He still has a lot to improve on his footwork and set-ups but it will be entertaining to see him grow throughout the season.
Vibe check
We can’t really say that Houston is a contender this season, considering the majority of players are newly-minted. They are currently in the process of growing their young players and in the hopes of creating a solid core for the future years. Though, supporters can relax knowing that their favorite team will keep improving thanks to the experience they'll gain and, of course, to their $70 million in salary cap space for the 2023 offseason.
