3 Things to Watch For in Houston Rockets' Preseason

The Houston Rockets are hoping for a culture shift, and the preseason is a great time to set the tone for the season.

As the Houston Rockets prepare to start what should be a very productive season, fans are anxious and eager to see the young team take the court. Luckily, fans won’t have to wait long.

The Rockets kick off the preseason on October 10th against the Pacers and will play five games in total. While the preseason almost never lives up to the hype, diehard Houston fans should have elements of each game on their radar.

After inefficient, drama-filled seasons, the Rockets are looking to change their reputation under Ime Udoka, who is known for being no-nonsense.

The additions of Fred VanVleet, Dillion Brooks, and Jeff Green should provide some much-needed mentorship and positive experience for the young stars already on the roster.

If all goes well, Houston will continue to give Jalen Green the reps he needs to break out, while providing him with some support. With Kevin Porter Jr. gone, Houston can focus on improvement on–and especially off–the court.

With two of the five preseason games against Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs, it’s safe to say that most eyes will be on Houston’s opponents. However, if the Rockets can show improvement in two key areas and promise in another, fans should be excited for the real season to tip off.

The first thing fans should be looking at is rookie Amen Thompson. He has already dazzled before his preseason debut, scoring 16 points in his lone Summer League performance, and taking social media by storm with his court vision.

Amen Thompson’s court vision is crazy 🔥

(h/t @Nolimitdevvo) pic.twitter.com/m8CdrXApMi

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 6, 2023

Thompson can develop behind Green, VanVleet, and Jae’Sean Tate, and Dillion Brooks. If he shows off his athleticism and scoring potential early on, Rockets fans will know that Rafael Stone is getting the job done.

The next two keys for the preseason concern players already on the roster: Green and Jabari Smith Jr. Jalen Green have a reputation around the league for being immensely talented, but selfish and inefficient on the offensive end and downright helpless on defense. 

Adding real scoring options around Green should help his offensive output, and in some situations, he can be a pass-first ball handler, which has never been a luxury in his two full NBA seasons. His atrocious defense is largely due to a lack of effort. 

Houston lost by an average of eight points last season, so if Green can clamp down on opponents, he can save several games from slipping away. If he doesn’t Udoka will have no problem bringing in Thompson, who was touted as a defensive-minded player.

Dillion Brooks will provide Jalen Green with some much-needed help on both ends of the floor / USA Today Sports

Jabari Smith Jr. needs to get involved. In his first season, he looked lost on the court, especially in the first half. However, in the Summer League, he dominated.

Smith broke out, posting 35 points per game in two appearances, as well as seven boards and four assists. If the Rockets start off the preseason with that version of Smith, fans can expect the Rockets to exceed the expectations set for 2024.

It won’t be apparent from five games that don’t even count if the Rockets will be heads and shoulders above their play last season. But by setting a competitive, team-minded tone early on, Udoka and the new additions can show that the team they took a chance on was worth the risk, and the young Rockets will be here to stay.