Analyst Believes Rockets Should Change Starting Lineup

The Houston Rockets might be better off with a different starting five.

Dec 11, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) reacts with forward Amen Thompson (1) after a play during the second quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets are doing pretty well for themselves in the first two months of the season, but there is always room for improvement.

The Rockets don't necessarily need to go out and find a new player to add to their core, but rather make some changes from within.

Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes suggests moving Amen Thompson from the bench to the starting lineup.

"It's not always wise to mess with a good thing, which is what the Houston Rockets have with their current starting lineup. But when you have a chance to do something great, you've got to go for it," Hughes writes. "In this case, the path toward making the Rockets truly special involves starting Amen Thompson, one half of the highly successful bench duo dubbed the Terror Twins."

The Rockets' current starting lineup featuring Fred VanVleet, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun is one of the best first fives in the league, but inserting Thompson over VanVleet or Green could yield even better results.

Nobody in the starting five has done enough to warrant a demotion, so it's a move that could do more harm than good if it takes a shot at someone's confidence.

Thompson is likely due for a promotion into the starting lineup, but it might not happen anytime soon.

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