The Houston Rockets took a big step forward in the 2023-24 season under the guidance of Ime Udoka. After adding the highly-touted head coach and adding veterans in free agency, their win total jumped from 22 to 41. Houston ended a three-year streak of finishing either last or second-to-last in the Western Conference.
The Rockets will look to take the next step by making the postseason. They have a solid young core of players 23 or younger that includes first-round draft picks such as Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore, Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard AJ Griffin and Tari Eason. Additionally, veterans such as Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, Steven Adams and Jeff Green provide valuable leadership.
While Houston has built a solid core, they will have a tough time challenging for a postseason spot in a loading Western Conference. There is a path to a playoff berth, but it will likely require bad fortune from other teams and the play-in tournament. Although they should remain in the mix deep into the season, the Rockets are more than likely a year away from their first postseason appearance since James Harden’s departure.
NBA draft expert picks which Houston Rockets guard has more upside
Jalen Green has shown plenty of upside in his three seasons in the Houston Rockets backcourt. Despite this, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic believes that Reed Sheppard has more long-term upside. Speaking on the Game Theory Podcast, the NBA draft expert stated:
I think Reed is a higher upside player than Jalen Green, personally, at this point. That’s no shot to Jalen Green. I just think Reed’s passing and playmaking and feel is just world’s ahead of where Jalen Green is.
Jalen has all the athleticism and separation ability and all that stuff, but the ability to make plays for your teammates and be an unselfish player, I don’t know, man.
Green has averaged 19.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.3 blocks per game in his brief NBA career. He has shot 42.1% from the field, 33.7% from three-point range and 79.4% from the free-throw line. While Sheppard was one of the top players in the NBA Summer League, he will need to prove himself when the regular season begins.
Check out Sam Vecenie’s comments on Jalen Green and Reed Sheppard below:
Thank you for reading The Dunk Central. Please follow us on Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite teams and players. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing NBA outlets!
