Tari Eason #17, Jalen Green #4 and Kevin Porter Jr. #3 of the Houston Rockets watch from the bench as their team plays the Denver Nuggets in the fourth quarter at Ball Arena on November 28, 2022 in Denver, Colorado.
Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesThe Houston Rockets' hopes of making a leap toward playoff contention look slimmer by the week as we roll through the 2022-23 season.
Head coach Stephen Silas' squad dropped their 16th game of the season on Wednesday, a listless 120-100 affair in which Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić nearly put up a triple-double in 28 minutes. The Rockets were among the NBA's best teams less than a half decade ago. Reaching those heights again now feels like a distant fantasy.
So, what are the biggest problems facing the Rockets—and what hope can we have for the franchise's future? Let's address the situation in our latest mailbag.
When will we no longer be the worst team in the NBA? – Phillip Mueller
The 2022-23 Rockets aren’t presently the single worst team in the NBA, with that honor going to Eastern Conference also-rans in Detroit and Orlando. But the spirit of Phillip's question remains fair. Houston should be favored to finish with the West’s worst record, and even passing 20 wins in 2022-23 is no guarantee.
So when will the Rockets rise above the West cellar? It’s hard to totally say, though we should hope to see some notable progress in 2023-24. Jabari Smith will no longer be a rookie next season. Jalen Green will be entering Year 3. Don’t expect the Rockets to be a playoff team next year, but another last-place finish would be troubling.
Who is the leader in the locker room? How do we develop these young players into professionals that know how to go out there and win? What is our team identity? – Steven Michael Villanueva Skees
Steven's question is a bit of a long-winded one, though his concerns are worth considering as the Rockets flounder in the Western Conference. This is a team frankly devoid of an identity at the moment, one that is too inexperienced–and, at the moment, not talented enough—to compete on most nights. The Rockets don't generate consistent stops and their half-court offense is often stale and stagnant. Not exactly a winning combination.
Houston Rockets forward Jae'Sean Tate (8) dunks in front of Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) as the Toronto Raptors beat the Houston Rockets 117-115 in Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. April 8, 2022.
Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty ImagesThat's not to say this is a fractured unit in Houston. Silas noted last week his pride in his team's resiliency amid mounting losses, and the spirit of this group is still evident. Yet on a night-to-night basis, it's difficult to identify a clear leader in the room. Eric Gordon is a veteran who leads by example. Jalen Green is just starting to find his voice in the locker room, and Jabari Smith's level head only carries so much weight in his rookie season. Silas and Kevin Porter Jr. both pointed to Jae'Sean Tate as a team leader in recent weeks, though that impact has been muted as the forward deals with an ankle injury. The Rockets don't exactly have a leading voice at the moment, though to be fair, that's among the least of their problems.
Based on this current roster, and possibly adding one of the top two picks, who is the ideal [free agent] fit for 2023-2024?
The Rockets are still at least one year away from pursuing any major free agents, though there will be an assortment of young guards and wings that general manager Rafael Stone will consider on one-year or cheap, multi-year deals. The landscape could change ahead of the 2024-25 season, though. 2023-24 could serve as a stepping stone year from the young Rockets, and given the team's light salary cap sheet, two summers from now could be the perfect time to pounce on a marquee free agent. Perhaps Celtics star Jaylen Brown would look good in Rockets red.
Scoot Henderson #0 of G League Ignite takes the ball upcourt during the first quarter of an exhibition game against Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 at The Dollar Loan Center on October 06, 2022 in Henderson, Nevada.
Steve Marcus/Getty ImagesWith the first pick in the 2023 draft, the Rockets select... – Marco A. Zubieta
It’s unlikely the Rockets or any team passes on French sensation Victor Wembanyama with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA draft. But given the new flattened lottery odds—in which each of the worst three teams hold a 14 percent chance of securing the top pick—it’s worth looking past the clear option at No. 1. And there are some intriguing choices after Wembanyama.
The Rockets would likely eye an upgrade in the backcourt if they land the No. 2 pick, where point guard Scoot Henderson is expected to be drafted after tearing up G League competition. Look further down draft boards, and there is still the chance at landing an All-Star talent. One name worth circling? Arkansas point guard Nick Smith, who is currently getting tutelage from veteran coach Eric Musselman. A run in March could see Smith gain increased attention in the pre-draft process.
Why is [Daishen] Nix playing? – Eduardo Reyna
Let’s finish things up with one more on-court question. While it’s fair to see Nix’s production—which includes a dismal 107.6 offensive rating—and wonder why he remains in Silas’ rotation, adding a veteran in Nix’s stead would fly in the face of Stone’s team-building process. Houston should and will continue to play its youngsters this season as it sorts through a crowded roster of 20-something talents. Expect Nix and company to continue playing through the struggles in the coming weeks and months.