NBA Power Rankings: Where Do Houston Rockets Stand After Offseason?

Could the Rockets find their way into the postseason in the upcoming NBA season?

Mar 31, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) reacts after a play during the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Rockets could be in for an improved season after posting a 41-41 record a year ago. While the team didn't make any huge on-paper improvements -- though the addition of Reed Sheppard could be big -- the young core's development could be enough to uplift the Rockets to the playoffs.

With Summer League soon coming to a close, the dog days of the NBA offseason are soon to come. During the dog days of the offseason, there will be plenty of forward-thinking as to how the upcoming season will play out.

ESPN recently updated their NBA Power Rankings post-free agency, kicking off those conversations and stirring the pot. In the ranking, the Rockets were slated No. 20 in the league.

"Which of the talented young players the Rockets have added over the past four drafts fit into Houston's long-term future? It's a particularly pressing question for Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green," ESPN wrote. "The Rockets' two leading scorers from last season are extension eligible entering the final season of their rookie contracts. Will they be cornerstones for hard-nosed coach Ime Udoka? If not, they could be in future trade conversations, and the Rockets have deftly loaded up on future draft capital to position themselves to eventually take a big swing in the trade market."

This should be a season in which the Rockets begin to find their footing and pick a direction as a franchise. Their decisions don't end at whether or not they want to win now or gear towards the future.

With Green and Sengun, the team will likely max one of those players and use them as a cornerstone, given their play styles and how they differentiate. The offense will likely go through one of the two players, and how they build the team around each player will be different. It'll be interesting to see which route they go in this regard.

The Rockets could even decide to split up the young core and land a superstar forward to accelerate the team's timeline. Either way, they've got draft capital and a young core that will give them plenty of flexibility moving forward.

Should they sit on their hands, the development of the young core should be enough to take the team beyond the 41-win mark they hit a season ago.

---

READ MORE: Rockets Sign Star International Forward: What to Expect

Want to join the discussion? Like Rockets on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Rockets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.