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X way too early bold Houston predictions for 2022-23 NBA season

High expectations won’t burden the Houston Rockets this coming season, but that doesn’t mean they’re not ready to rise.

So far, the Houston Rockets haven’t made big moves in the 2022 offseason. They appear to have had another strong draft, though. Recall that Jabari Smith Jr. unexpectedly fell to them at No. 3. That’s enough for many NBA experts to give them a high offseason grade.

Earlier in June, the Rockets also traded veteran center Christian Wood to the Dallas Mavericks to open a starting spot for second-year big Alperen Sengun. The Rockets hope Sengun can blossom into a cornerstone player as they continue rebuilding.

In addition, the Rockets have continued to prioritize and maximize salary cap flexibility. After playing a tad conservative in the offseason, they have up to $75 million in cap space potentially available. Kudos to GM Rafael Stone and head coach Stephen Silas. They haven’t taken a quantum leap, but they are moving in the right direction.

Rockets 2022-23 Predictions

3) Jabari Smith will be Rookie of the Year

Oddsmakers don’t have Smith among the top three candidates to win ROY but don’t be shocked if the Georgia native actually lifts the trophy in 2023.

Really, there isn’t much to criticize about Smith’s game. This 6’10 forward can shoot from just about everywhere on the court. He possesses the stature, athleticism, and potential to develop into a cornerstone player for any NBA squad. He consistently demonstrated this throughout his one season with the Tigers.

Keep in mind that he shot 43 percent from the field and shot 42 percent from 3-point range in college. He also averaged 16.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game for Auburn. In the Summer League, Smith put up 14.4 points and 9.4 rebounds in 29.7 minutes per contest.

He also possesses the humility to know that he still has a lot to improve.

“I’ve got a lot of time to prepare, and a lot of time to get my body stronger,” Smith said in an interview with Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks. “I’ve got a lot of time to mature and learn more about this game. By the time this season starts, I feel like I should be All-Defensive Team caliber, from day one.”

The caveat is that in Houston, Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. will be in possession of the ball most of the time. Since they are not yet top-tier playmakers, Smith may not receive as many touches as people want.

Having said that, Smith does have a pro-ready skill set. He will also join a Rockets squad that is in dire need of as much skill as possible. This means he should be a great fit. There is no reason to think that, by the end of the season, he won’t be in the mix to be NBA Rookie of the Year.

2) Jalen Green will be an All-Star

It was difficult not to be enthusiastic about Jalen Green’s ability to put up huge numbers on a rebuilding club like the Rockets. They picked him with the No. 2 choice in the 2021 NBA Draft, and he pretty much lived up to the hype. That was despite his season being cut short by a sluggish start and a hamstring injury.

The G League Ignite route was supposed to ease his transition to the NBA, but becoming the team’s top scorer as a 19-year-old rookie presented a different set of challenges. His athleticism was no longer enough to get him past NBA-level defenders, and he found it difficult to consistently hit the three-pointer. Opposing defenses schemed around him, and he had to adjust big time.

It took some time, but Green did just that. He adjusted, and he reaped the rewards.

Remember that after the 2022 All-Star break, Green truly settled in and took a big step forward instead of hitting the infamous “rookie wall.” Down the last legs of the season, he scored 22.1 points per game with high efficiency.

Green even had a run of five straight games with at least 30 points. He joined Allen Iverson as the only rookie to accomplish that record in the previous 40 years. Green also finished the campaign with a career-high 41 points against the Atlanta Hawks, joining Hall of Famers Hakeem Olajuwon, Ralph Sampson, and Elvin Hayes as the only rookies in Rockets history to surpass the 40-point mark. Now that is elite company.

So what eventually clicked for Green? Again, he adjusted. In particular, he started shooting the midrange, which really expanded his game. If he can do that consistently in 2022-23, he should be a strong consideration for an All-Star selection.

1) The Rockets will make the Play-in Tournament

Houston recently finished another futile season. They missed the playoffs for the second season in a row. The Rockets didn’t even make the Play-in tournament.

There is, nevertheless, some hope for this organization’s future. As mentioned above, GM Stone ensured they’d have a solid offseason, and Jalen Green is trending toward All-Star level play. The Rockets’ future appears promising despite no longer having Christian Wood up front.

In terms of pure talent, some might say that nothing really changes for the Rockets. Some wanted John Wall to play, but his departure does not make the Rockets worse. I mean, he didn’t play a single minute last year anyway.

What they have more of this coming season are experience and hunger. Green and Kevin Porter form a potentially explosive backcourt duo. Sengun is set to make a leap with Wood’s absence, and Smith is out to prove his detractors wrong with a strong rookie campaign. This is a team that should finish no longer with just 20 wins for the whole season. In fact, they are a legitimate threat to challenge for a Play-in spot. Assuming, all their young guys improve this season and Smith really hits his upside, the Rockets can turn a lot of heads. Truth be told, there is much Stephen Silas can do with the talent on this team.

Consider as well that with its young core, creating chemistry is a far more achievable task in Houston. It’s crucial to consider how Smith actually complements Green, Kevin, and Sengun. Rockets fans have a lot of reason to raise their expectations heading into 2022-23.

NBA, 2022 NBA Season, Brooklyn Nets, Kevin Durant, Ben Simmons, Kyrie Irving