The Houston Rockets Need More From Jabari Smith Jr

The Houston Rockets are 0-3 due to lackluster play, and Jabari Smith Jr. has found himself as the scapegoat.

The Houston Rockets lost their third straight game Sunday against the Golden State Warriors, joining the Memphis Grizzlies and Portland Trailblazers as the first teams to start the season 0-3.

The Rockets have lost in every conceivable way thus far. They got blown out by the Orlando Magic. They blew a double-digit lead to the San Antonio Spurs to lose in overtime. And outplayed by the better Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter.

The Rockets are playing subpar basketball. They are last in the league in rebounds, 21st in assists, 23rd in steals, 27th in blocks, last in loose balls recovered, 22nd in field goal percentage, and second-to-last in points.

Alperen Şengün has been the lone bright spot for Houston. He is averaging a team-best 19.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 6.7 assists. 

But when it comes to second-year forward Jabari Smith Jr., he hasn't been an impactful player.  

Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) grabs the rebound during the second quarter against the Orlando Magic at Amway Center / Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

Among all 26 NBA big men (6-9 or taller) to play at least 30 minutes per game this season, Smith is last in blocks. He has yet to record a block, which is rather astounding. He is 19th in rebounds, 23rd in points, and only gets to the charity stripe once per game.

He’s young, but he’s being outclassed in all categories by Jalen Duren — who is younger. Last year was much of the same, with Smith failing to be above average in any of the listed categories.

It’s clear to any objective viewer that Smith has not been working in Houston. This is not a dire call to trade him, as he was drafted third overall and the potential is there. But it is time to light a fire. 

Right now, his starting spot is safe. Ime Udoka will not bench him in favor of 37-year-old Jeff Green, and Tari Eason is not expected back in the immediate future. Even when Eason returns, the Rockets need a physical player down low who can crash boards, protect the paint, and maybe put-up points.

The Rockets are still rebuilding, but other teams have found their big man of the future. The Spurs have Wemby. The Thunder have Holmgren. The Pistons have Duren. The Magic have Banchero. 

The Rockets are stuck with a middling power forward who is not living up to his potential. The franchise is nowhere near the point of cutting ties, but it is time to make life harder for Smith and send a message that the clock is ticking.