Rockets Eyeing Wins, Not Ping Pong Balls, Ahead of 2022-23 Season

The Houston Rockets are entering the 2022-23 campaign with a desire to improve their team by wins next season, not by winning the draft lottery for Victor Wembanyama in June.

HOUSTON — The NBA is one week away from the start of the 2022-23 campaign, and the sweepstakes for draft prospect Victor Wembanyama will begin.

Wembanyama gave a glimpse into his on-court attributes for the Metropolitans 92 during two exhibition matches against the G League Ignite in Las Vegas, he averaged 36.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.5 blocks.

Wembanyama reassured his position as the top-ranked prospect entering the 2023 NBA Draft in June. His unprecedented potential has scouts and general managers around the league salivating at drafting Wembanyama within the next eight months.

But while teams try to strategize how to best position themselves to have a realistic opportunity to land Wembanyama, the Houston Rockets are entering the 2022-23 campaign thinking about the latter. 

"I am excited that we have a group that I've been with for a little while, and they have more experience than what they have in the past," coach Stephen Silas said during Rockets' media day. "I'm excited about the work they have put in over the summer and the young guys we have picked up."

"There has to be some level of improvement. There have to be steady improvements as the season goes along."

The general census believes next season will end with the Rockets in the best position to land Wembanyama — or Scoot Henderson. And it's easy to understand why, given that Houston has possessed a 37-117 record over the previous two seasons.

But since the start of training camp inside the Legacy Center in Lake Charles, the Rockets believe they can be the league's most surprising team of the season.

Silas said he spent the summer studying how to become a better coach while the time consumed with his players was to enhance their strengths and weaknesses. Silas vowed that the Rockets will be extremely hard to play against on both sides of the ball next season, which resulted in his players concurring with his vision. 

Jae'Sean Tate has described the Rockets ahead of next season as a young, scrappy and athletic team that has the desire to take the next step in their rebuilding project.

He believes the experience gained over the last two years will play a significant role in Houston's potential while building the team's culture.

"This year, the Houston Rockets will be better than last year," Jalen Green said. "I feel there is a real change from where we ended the year knowing what we have to do going into this year. 

"That's the best thing about the group right now — it's the mentality. We want to be a good team, and we want to win games."

Wembanyama will be the most sought-after draft prospect since LeBron James in 2003, and commissioner Adam Silver has issued a tanking warning ahead of the new season. 

Silver may have to keep an eye on Oklahoma City, San Antonio and Utah to prevent teams from tanking. But the city of Houston will not stand for purposeful losing in 2023. 

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You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24

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