As a franchise, the Rockets are starting to arrive at an inflection point as Houston coasts through its hottest July on city record. At the moment, general manager Rafael Stone and the rest of the organization are watching the team’s young foundation currently play in Las Vegas.
Rookies Jabari Smith, Tari Eason, and TyTy Washington are playing with key second-year players such as Josh Christopher and Usman Garuba for a summer league roster that shows immense promise. The organization is holding its breath that these new pieces, in conjunction with existing young standouts such as Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, and Kevin Porter Jr., can bring more wins and defensive intensity than last season.
This is all happening through a fascinating organizational lens. Seemingly, the upcoming season is the last in which the Houston Rockets can truly afford to be amongst the worst in the NBA. After finishing with the league’s worst record in each of the past two seasons, 2023 will mark a transition point where Houston will finally be forced to change.
