The Houston Rockets are the most fascinating team in the NBA. Competitive and young (26.2 years on average), demanding coaches and an abundance of intriguing talent to develop or trade.
“There is no deeper team than ours.” The words are from owner Tillman Fertitta: the Rockets start the new season with very high expectations.
Green, Sengun, Whitmore, Smith Jr, Eason, Thompson and Sheppard. With a core of potential stars all under the age of 24, Play-Ins are an attainable goal. Everyone wants to establish themselves in the NBA. Everyone wants minutes, the ball in their hands in decisive possessions; responsibilities that they will have to be good at sharing.
For the Rockets, it’s an opportunity but also a risk. Few teams in the NBA find themselves in this situation, which can be an advantage but also a challenge from a future perspective. The Front Office will first of all have to decide on renewals at the maximum salary of Sengun and Green, while also evaluating the options for extensions of Smith Jr and Whitmore in the following two seasons.
Although not ungovernable, economic management will be crucial. To finish the rebuild and be a contender, Houston will have to use a good portion of the salary cap space to also sign a superstar.
It won’t be possible to please everyone. Respecting the new Collective Agreement, the Rockets will be able to grant three maximum salary extensions; optimizing the rest of the cap space for other moves will be decisive for the team’s future.
Houston is at the beginning of a period that could prove truly special. Along with the hope and excitement that accompanies the start of the new NBA season, there is also the stress of discovering just how precarious the next steps may be.
