The Houston Rockets are not quite done making headlines this offseason. The Texas outfit just agreed to terms with Jabari Smith Jr to sign a five-year, $122 million contract extension. The Rockets are on a mission. Since head coach Ime Udoka joined the Rockets, they have quickly become a championship-contending side. The acquisition of 15-time All-Star Kevin Durant displays the Rockets’ goals of winning a championship ring in the near future. Smith Jr has emerged as the best player from a packed 2022 draft class.
The Houston Rockets have become a title-contender almost overnight.
The Rockets have been a staple in the NBA for a few decades at least. The 90s saw the Houston Rockets winning two championships and completely dominating the NBA in the process. That success was challenging to sustain in a very competitive Western Conference, and since then, the Rockets have struggled to compete, despite attracting some of the best players in the NBA.
Despite that up-and-down history, the Rockets emerged as a serious contender in the Western Conference last season. The packed lineup led the Rockets to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference and their first postseason appearance in five years. In the offseason, the Rockets ironed out multiple deals with key role players at the club, including Fred VanVleet, Jae’Sean Tate, Aaron Holiday, Jeff Green and have provided extensions to Steven Adams and coach Ime Udoka.
The Kevin Durant trade has elevated the Houston Rockets to the top of the NBA.
Pretty much the entire basketball world knew that Kevin Durant would be playing for a different team next year. The Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets ironed out a deal that sent KD to Houston and sent several players to Phoenix. According to reports, the Suns wanted to include Jabari Smith Jr in that deal, but the Rockets were absolutely not having it. We can almost hear that Southern accent saying ‘bless your heart’ to the request from the Suns.
Jabari Smith Jr is a highly valued player by the Houston Rockets.
Jabari Smith Jr came into the NBA with a lot of high expectations. Following being drafted by the Rockets as the No. 3 pick in 2022, Smith Jr became integral to the Rockets’ consistent performances last season, in his rookie year, we might add. He averaged an impressive 12.2 points and 7.0 rebounds during a campaign that was disrupted by a broken left hand in January.
By rejecting the deal to include Smith Jr in the KD trade, the Rockets have placed a lot of faith in his abilities and potential. Kevin Durant stated that he wanted to join a title-contending team, and by signing Jabari Smith Jr, as well as the multitude of other front office moves the Rockets have made, Houston could be expecting a title coming to Texas soon.
Will Kevin Durant jell with the younger players like Jabari Smith Jr?
Following the blockbuster KD trade, the Rockets have made moves to secure the roster in preparation for a long season next year. Jabari Smith Jr’s five-year, $122 million rookie contract extension is unheard of in the NBA. He earned that contract last season, as Jabari Smith Jr is the only player from the 2022 draft class to have accumulated 2,500 points and 1,500 rebounds so far.
Can we expect the Rockets to be lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy next season?
As the offseason and free agency throw more drama our way, we expect that the Houston Rockets are licking their lips in preparation to devour the NBA next season. Kevin Durant is coming to Houston to win a championship; he has made that much clear. The Rockets have made huge moves to ensure they are competing with he likes of OKC next year. They face a stiff challenge in the Western Conference as it is packed with teams aiming to make a deep run into the postseason next year. Jabari Smith Jr will surely be paying attention to KD, and the Rockets will be praying for a sense of cohesion in order to win.
