Veteran swingman Dillon Brooks joins a young Rockets team hoping to find success in 2023-24.
Phase 2 of the Houston Rockets’ rebuilding project kicks into high gear with a veteran coach in Ime Udoka looking to establish a new culture for a franchise that hasn’t been to the playoffs in three seasons. The roster already featured plenty of talented youngsters in Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun and Tari Eason. In the Draft, the Rockets added two more promising prospects to its young core in Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore.
General manager Rafael Stone smartly worked to balance out all that youth with experienced veteran locker room leaders in point guard Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and forward Jeff Green, who is coming off a championship with the Denver Nuggets.
What’s new?
- Udoka took Boston to the NBA Finals in his first season there (2021-22), as the Celtics led the league in defensive efficiency while finishing with a top 10 offense, but Houston shouldn’t expect a similar outcome in Year 1 given all the youth on the current roster.
- In addition to adding veteran players in VanVleet, Brooks and Green, Udoka brought aboard an experienced staff of assistant coaches in Royal Ivey, Ben Sullivan, Garrett Jackson, Tiago Splitter, Cam Hodges and Mike Moser.
- Houston spent its two first-round picks on a couple of youngsters capable of contributing as rookies in Thompson (who has two-way ability) and Whitmore (the NBA 2K24 Summer League MVP).
How far can the Rockets go?
The Western Conference improved overall this offseason. So, while it’s safe to expect Udoka and the Rockets to put together a double-digit increase in wins from 2022-23’s record of 22-60, it’s unlikely this club returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. That’s a season or two away, as Udoka and the staff spend the 2023-24 campaign laying down the all-important foundation for sustained success.
1 player that must take a leap
Dillon Brooks. Brooks unfairly took heat for Memphis’ postseason struggles, but he also deserved the bulk of the credit for helping to establish a culture of selflessness that propelled the Grizzlies to three consecutive playoff berths. The relentless, hardworking Brooks needs to serve as an example for these young Rockets, too, both on and off the court. Coming off an All-Defensive Second Team selection last season, Brooks may also need to scale back his game somewhat offensively to fit Udoka’s vision.
In-Season Tournament
The Houston Rockets are in West Group B. Here’s a refresher on how the In-Season Tournament works.
Upcoming free agents
The Houston Rockets have seven players that will be free agents in 2024.
- Darius Days
- Jeff Green
- Aaron Holiday
- Trevor Hudgins
- Boban Marjanovic
- Jermaine Samuels
- Jae’Sean Tate
Green and Tate’s deals contain team options for 2024-25, but both are the type of players that will be key in helping Udoka establish the culture in Houston. Finally healthy again, Tate looks to gain the new staff’s trust while bouncing back from an injury-riddled 2022-23 season in which he played only 31 games. The Rockets signed Holiday, 26, to a one-year deal to add depth at point guard and another capable shooter that can also serve as a veteran leader.
Houston’s full roster can be found here.
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Michael C. Wright is a senior writer for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.
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