Houston Rockets: Rookie Preview
Houston Rockets: Rookie Preview
After another horrific losing season from the Rockets, General Manager Rafael Stone has finally pivoted toward constructing a winning-conducive organization, beginning with his coaching staff. After three tumultuous seasons, Head Coach Stephen Silas was fired this past season, marking what many considered a turning point for the team. After considering many nominees, former Celtics Head Coach Ime Udoka was selected to replace Silas. Udoka was described as a tough, blunt, yet relatable coach. The defensive intellect and interpersonal skills shown in Boston were very attractive to Stone and the Rockets.
However, a Head Coach isn't the only thing Stone changed. The remaining coaching staff was effectively cleared out, allowing Udoka to hire those he believed aligned with his vision. Players were also moved during the offseason. Out of last season's 15-man roster, only seven remain. KJ Martin, Tyty Washington, Usman Garuba, and Josh Christopher were all players drafted by Stone in the last three years. All were traded away. Udoka and Stone both agreed that in order to achieve their goal of a winning season, room needed to be made on the roster to add veteran pieces. With the removal of said young talent, Stone was able to acquire Jeff Green, Dillon Brooks, Jock Landale, Aaron Holiday, and Fred VanVleet in free agency. All are older players with some level of playoff experience.
Stone wasn't done. The Rockets had the opportunity to acquire two new prospects in the 2023 draft, in the hopes of aligning their talents with the existing young core. On June 22nd, Stone drafted point guard Amen Thompson with the 4th pick, and small forward Cam Whitmore with the 20th pick. The front office, players, and fans alike were very excited to have these guys added to the roster. So now the question is, how will they be used this season in an already crowded rotation?
Amen Thompson
Amen Thompson's role seems to be more straightforward than Whitmore's. With the departure of Daishen Nix and Tyty Washington, the Rockets had an open vacancy at backup point guard that Amen Thompson will immediately fill, from day one. Throughout last season, it became clear that Kevin Porter Jr. was no longer a viable option as a franchise point guard. Acquiring a point guard of the future in the off-season became the goal for Houston. By drafting Amen Thompson and signing Fred VanVleet, the Rockets finally have a true initiator in the backcourt. While VanVleet is starting, Thompson will have the task of leading the secondary rotations.
The most important elements of Thompson's role as the primary ball-handler are his assists, turnovers, perimeter defense, and impact in transition. While there's obviously an expectation for him to score, that's not how he leads this team, unlike Jalen Green. After ranking dead last in assists and potential assists, the Rockets desperately need Thompson's passing talent. His ability to facilitate and create open shots can completely transform Houston's offense, even if he's on rotation minutes. With assists come turnovers. It's a lot to ask a rookie to avoid significant turnovers, but it doesn't hurt to ask. Thompson will naturally make mistakes. There will be moments when he gets outplayed and baited. However, the expectation of intentionality remains. Not being careless with the ball, passing with purpose, and taking what the defense gives will all help Thompson keep the turnovers down. Questions remain about his handle, as Thompson was fairly vulnerable to steals and loose dribbles at OTE. There will certainly be turnovers in that aspect.
The Rockets also ranked dead last in transition. Although often overlooked in terms of value, Amen Thompson is an excellent player in transition. Thompson will be expected to read the situation and execute the correct play to convert those simple open-floor opportunities. With his athleticism, Thompson will also be expected to create coast-to-coast scoring plays with sheer speed, akin to Westbrook and Morant. Capitalizing on these opportunities is critical to building a good-to-great offense. As he builds synergy with his teammates, this area should improve exponentially.
Expectations aren't high for Thompson as a scorer, but his capacity as a pick-and-roll ball-handler will be closely monitored. Not only will his scoring ability be evaluated, but also his playmaking. Alongside another talented creator in Alperen Sengun, the relationship they have on the floor is incredibly intriguing. Sengun doesn't provide the vertical spacing that's typically there for helio-tilted guards like Amen (Harden/Trae/Luka), but that shouldn't stop the two from being a deadly duo. A big critique of Kevin Porter Jr throughout last season was the lack of passing in the pick-and-roll, especially as defenses were icing and hard hedging ball screens. That shouldn't be an issue with Amen.
Defensively, there isn't much expectation on Thompson to produce because he's a rookie, but effort is definitely something everyone is looking for. The Rockets last season not only had a poor defensive scheme, but the effort was rarely there. Even if Thompson struggles with screen navigation and rotations, as long as the effort is there, people know that he's willing to put in the work to improve.
Cam Whitmore
Whitmore's role within the rotation this season remains unclear. Excluding Whitmore and presumably Kevin Porter Jr., there are still eight players definitively playing minutes. Teams can run nine-man rotations, but rarely does the ninth man receive significant minutes. Coach Udoka is also known for running a relatively tight ship. In the hypothetical scenario where he does earn a chunk of minutes this season, the Rockets would love for Whitmore to mirror KJ Martin's shot profile from last season.
Pre-draft, there were concerns about Whitmore's tunnel vision and shot selection. As the ninth man in the rotation, there won't be many on-ball reps for Whitmore outside of garbage time. His role will transition from being a secondary ball-handler to an athletic play-finisher. As an athletic finisher, Whitmore will primarily be scoring from cuts and spot-ups. It's simple stuff but integral to an offense. With his speed and vertical talent, Whitmore should have little issue attacking closeouts and, at the very least, drawing fouls. The biggest difference skill-wise between KJ Martin and Whitmore is their handle. While a tad shaky, Whitmore's handle is much better than Martin's, allowing for further maneuverability and versatility as a scorer. With Sengun, VanVleet, or Thompson as primary and secondary creators, Whitmore's responsibility is to get open. He's already shown he's more than capable as a cutter at Villanova and a very strong shooter off the catch as well. An efficient, low-usage, complimentary role is the most fans should expect from Whitmore this season. To make this possible, chemistry with Sengun is essential. Sengun does a terrific job of creating easy and simple looks for the wings from wherever. Whitmore has to allow his teammates to create for him.
If Whitmore does go to the G-League, it's very important that his playstyle aligns with his role with the Rockets. The Rockets in the past few seasons have not done a good job of creating a developmental environment for young players who were sent down to the G-League. For example, Josh Christopher and Tyty Washington were the primary creators and facilitators throughout their G-League tenure, meaning the offense was structured around them. At no point did they develop away from the ball as complimentary pieces. The stat sheet looked amazing, but the production was isolated to the G-League. With the Rockets, they were the 4th and 5th options at best. Christopher's inability to operate off the ball was a big reason why he was eventually traded this offseason. So for Whitmore, it's important that his time in the G-League aligns somewhat with his projected role on the team. Of course, he'll get on-ball reps, but it shouldn't be the Whitmore show.