Rockets Predicted to be Contending Team Under One Condition

Will it happen?

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-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Heading into the 2024-25 season, the Houston Rockets are easily one of the bigger question marks in the league, as it pertains to where they'll finish in the vaunted Western Conference. Will the team improve upon their 2023-24 campaign?

Will they take a step back? Most importantly, will the team have a clean bill of health?

There are just a wide variety of outcomes that could play out.

The team decided to run it back, relying on their youngsters who now have a year of competitive basketball under their belt, as the Rockets were firmly entrenched in the race to 10th place and the final play-in spot in the West late in the season.

Yardbarker's Quinn Everts compiled a list of the biggest questions for every team in the West and the Rockets' chief concern centered around the need for any of their young guns to ascend and take a leap. 

Everts' full synopsis is below:

"Houston must rely on young players more than most other teams with playoff aspirations. Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, Cam Whitmore and Tari Eason will be in the rotation on opening night, and if any of them are ahead of schedule in their development, Houston's win total might be higher than some expect."

Interestingly enough, Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green weren't listed. Those two have been the main lynchpins, along with Jabari Smith Jr., who also didn't make the list.

If any of those three become surefire All-Stars, which isn't a given, the Rockets will surely be a playoff team.

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