Houston Rockets Need Offensive Depth

Houston is sitting comfortably right now, but added offense would solidify a playoff spot.

Nov 13, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) is helped up by center Jock Landale (2) after a basket against the LA Clippers during the fourth quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images / Erik Williams-Imagn Images

The Houston Rockets are sitting comfortably with an 8-4 record, and are set to take on the LA Clippers in tonight's NBA Cup matchup. Houston got off to a rocky start but has found its stride, winning five of its last six games.

The Rockets are looking good defensively, but the offense hasn't seen much improvement from last season. Houston's shooting struggles resulted in a 41-41 record and the team missing the Play-In Tournament by one seed.

Again, 8-4 is comfortable for the Rockets as they sit as the fifth seed in the Western Conference. However, the offense still hasn't seen much of a leap. Houston ranks 14th in offensive rating (112.5) but sits at 28th in three-point percentage (31.9%).

Reed Sheppard was drafted to the Rockets with hopes of fixing the team's shooting struggles, but the rookie hasn't seen much time to make an immediate impact. Although his minutes have gone up over the last six games, he's still averaging just 11.9 per game.

What Houston needs is a veteran scorer; someone who can play off of the catch with playmakers like Fred VanVleet, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson. The team has enough players who can score within the arc, but a catch-and-shoot veteran would elevate the offense.

Think Bojan Bogdanovic, Cameron Johnson, and Dorian Finney-Smith. Coincidentally, all three are on the Brooklyn Nets and are likely to get traded before the February deadline. If the Rockets could swing a trade for at least one of the three, or another veteran scorer, they would solidify themselves as a force on both sides of the ball and capitalize on their early success.

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