After making a huge jump this season, the Houston Rockets head into a pivotal summer. Earning the West’s second seed and coming one game away from their first series win since 2020, the Rockets showed that they are ready to contend.
With a young core led by Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun, a nice mix of veterans in Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet, and a great head coach in Ime Udoka, Houston is set up nicely to be a long-term contender. In order for the Rockets to take the next step they need to make some tough roster decisions.
The Houston Rockets must consider moving on from Jalen Green
Green had one of the better seasons of his career, averaging 21 points per game and playing all 82 games for the second consecutive season. He also had a postseason debut to forget against the Warriors, averaging only 13 PPG on 37 percent shooting. He also scored 12 points or fewer in six out of the seven games.
Green’s lack of offense and lack of defensive engagement led to Udoka pulling him late in games and benching him for long periods as well. When Green isn’t scoring, his level of engagement drops, and this is a red flag for someone who is supposed to be a core player.
The playoff series showed the constant theme of Green’s Rockets tenure: the highs are very high, but the lows are extremely low. This has been the case for the first four years of his career, and while Houston did sign him to an extension, he cannot be viewed as a core member anymore. They are in desperate need of a more consistent scoring punch, and if they have to trade Green to fill that weakness, then they have to consider the change.
The Rockets can’t just trade Green for the sake of trading him
The package has to upgrade the team in a meaningful way. They also have to consider whether or not it is beneficial to have him next to Thompson and Sengun, both of whom are ready to blossom further offensively and are ready for more touches and opportunities.
Houston also has no reported interest in moving Green, specifically when it comes to a Kevin Durant trade. The Rockets are reportedly interested in acquiring Durant, but even if they do, Green likely will not be in the package.
Houston may be young, but they are ready to compete now in a competitive Western Conference. They have to capitalize on the roster they have now, and that comes with making this tough Jalen Green decision.