Are the Houston Rockets last years OKC Thunder?

[Shock Defeat]

Last year OKC was 40-42. This year the rockets have a better record and look loaded with young talent

Sengun, Jalen Green, amen Thompson, jabari Smith, are all having their best seasons. They have tari eason (stud) returning next year, and Cam Whitmore already looks like a microwave scorer off the bench at worst.

They also have Brooklyn's lotto pick next year.

Rounding it all off they have a few key vets like FVV and Brooks alongside an elite head coach Udoka.

Are the rockets primed to take the next big step next season?

[Dadouv47]

I think they will be a good team but it's difficult to have such a big jump from a year to another without a superstar and Houston still lack a true franchise player (maybe they already have him in Green or Sengun, who knows). I love the talent depth in Houston though so I think they will be elite for the next years to come.

[UcanUwill]

Hope so, but it is tough task. They did make a jump this year, but there are clear factors why that is, moving away from Kevin Porter, who was terrible, new coach, veteran leadership. To make another 20 win jump would need just flat out incredible improvement from the young guys.

Tari Eason will be back tho, I believe hes been out for a while, that guy showed some serious defensive potential.

[Godymas]

no, i think their trajectory is very different

SGA was a top 10 player in the league last year. The Rockets have a few top 100 guys.

They give Atlanta Hawks energy more imo

[Bloodbather]

They don't have an SGA to be like the Thunder. Good set of young players though, if they take further leaps, especially with regard to shooting, they could be very good.

We're already seeing how different Green looks as a player when he's hitting threes at a high rate. Şengün and Thompson need to become at least respectable from there. Would move Şengün closer to Jokić territory, and open up Thompson's playmaking and dribble drive game. Eason might become one of the league's better 3&D guys if his shot improves further as well.

Jabari is already a pretty good shooter, but he needs to be more assertive on offense, think he's got great potential as a scorer. Good complements Şengün really well, too.

[ThunderBolt]

The Rockets have some positive things going for them but they are much different than the Thunder.

[ChipotleWest]

OKC is fighting for the #1 seed in a stacked Western Conference, I do not think next year's Houston Rockets will be fighting for the #1 seed in a stacked Western Conference, so no.

[dc]

OKC is fighting for the #1 seed in a stacked Western Conference, I do not think next year's Houston Rockets will be fighting for the #1 seed in a stacked Western Conference, so no.

I agree. Rox have come together are on the right path, but OKC is a young team fighting for the #1 seed. They have 1 top 10 player and another 2 young guys with the real possibility of being Top 10 players down the line.

I'd actually be surprised if Chet didn't spend a good chunk of his career as a Top 10 player.

[The Servant]

Rockets remind me of a young poor man's Celtics in that they have so much depth at a bunch of different positions and some young guys who want to be the next leaders of the franchise. They have a bright future but a way different structure and style. I think they are going to make a leap next year but not sure if it will be as big as this years for OKC, which was adding #2 pick Chet to a top 10 player and MVP candidate and having Jalen Williams progress another year.

Liking the core now that Green has upped his efficiency and they are on a nice little run.

[Harry Garris]

Not until they have a guy develop into a top 10 player in the league like SGA did.

[Drakeem]

Rockets don't have anyone who's All-NBA 1st team bound.

[Up-And-Coming]

Sengun, Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason and Cam Whitmore is a solid core of young players. Sengun already is a top 5 Center this season imo but Wembenyama and Holmgren are lurking right behind and could surpass him soon. Jalen Green is having his best stretch in his career at only 21 years old. Jabari, Amen and Tari can all possibly turn out to be quality starting-level 2-way players (Amen elite defensively but with more question marks offensively).

Cam Whitmore when he plays has exceeded expectations his rookie season but only played 18 minutes per game and still missed so much time due to injury (38 total games played) which is definitely concerning, especially considering it corresponds with some of the red flags medical staff placed on him at the draft.

With all that said they certainly look to be an improving playoff team in the near future and their ceiling largely depends on how high Sengun, Jalen and possibly Whitmore/Jabari can peak. If one of them can at least reach top 10 status they'd be viewed more similarly to an OKC level.

[K_chile22]

I think they will be a good team but it's difficult to have such a big jump from a year to another without a superstar and Houston still lack a true franchise player (maybe they already have him in Green or Sengun, who knows). I love the talent depth in Houston though so I think they will be elite for the next years to come.

Yeah I think they'll take a jump but not one at that level unless someone really blows up in a way that's pretty unlikely

[jkvonny]

People also have to remember that the Rockets plays in a tuff division (Southwest Division).
Pelicans, Grizz, Mavs.
Grizzlies will be much better next season when healthy and back to being good again. They are also well coached.
Spurs will also be a lil bit better, on the upswing. Could be a playoff team again with a few seasons.

Tuff division. Similar to the Pacific Division (Clips, Kings, Suns, Lakers, Warriors).
Northwest Division is strong too (TWolve, Nuggets, Thunder).....but fluffy at the bottom (Utah, Portland) at the moment.

Houston is young, talented, up and coming. Good coach as well. They do have an advantage, tho as there are quite a few aging teams (Lakers, Warriors, Clips, Suns, etc) some of them are on the decline as well.
In the next few seasons, Rockets will start to trend upwards even more for years to come.

[jkvonny]

OKC is fighting for the #1 seed in a stacked Western Conference, I do not think next year's Houston Rockets will be fighting for the #1 seed in a stacked Western Conference, so no.

True. OKC has more star power. Will be one of the elites in the West for awhile.

Rockets (solid young players and mix of vets) will be more of a steady playoff/play in team in the coming seasons. Now, if they obtain a high profile FA or hit the jackpot on the drafts for a super star or via trades. A lot could change.

[ocelot17]

It’s too early to say but the rockets do have 4-5 all star caliber players on their team.

Remember, SGA didn’t take the leap into superstardom until last year.

[jkvonny]

It’s too early to say but the rockets do have 4-5 all star caliber players on their team.

Remember, SGA didn’t take the leap into superstardom until last year.

Good point.