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The Houston Rockets have arrived. That much is clear. After three years of rebuilding, the Rockets managed to return to relevancy last season, threatening for a play-in spot despite losing Alperen Sengun to an injury. Now, they've taken the next step, blossoming into a full-blown contending team as they sit pretty at second in the Western Conference standings with a 25-12 record after a huge win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Rockets have drafted so well over the past few seasons, with nearly all the pieces they've added over the past few years fitting quite well in the puzzle they've been building. Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun were the pillars from 2021, but the likes of Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson have also fit the team's identity to a T. Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks were perfect veteran additions that have cemented the team's defense-first identity, as they currently rank third in the association in points allowed per 100 possessions (107.0).
At this point, the Rockets need not do anything to rock the boat; they have organically built a scary contending team that still has plenty of room to get better. However, teams can never take their contending windows for granted. The Rockets franchise, of all teams, should know this. And they could very well up their championship equity if they manage to remedy what could be a fatal flaw for them come postseason time.
Rockets need a better offensive floor on a game per game basis
At first glance, the Rockets' offense isn't exactly in desperate need of fixing. Their offense ranks 11th in points scored per 100 possessions, which isn't too bad considering how elite their defense is. Their net rating of +6.2 ranks fifth in the league, which puts them among the legitimate championship contenders in the association.
However, a deeper dive into the Rockets' offense suggests that this could be an exploitable area for them when the playoffs come along. The game is slower in the postseason, which means more half-court sets and fewer transition opportunities, and every possession matters in the hunt for the Larry O'Brien trophy.
Alperen Sengun is crucial as the team's number one option on offense; Sengun post-ups and handoffs can generate a ton of downhill action and easy shots at the rim, after all. But in today's NBA, perimeter scoring in the postseason is at a premium. The past few NBA champions all had go-to scorers on the perimeter that they can rely on nightly, and the Rockets' main perimeter threats may be far too inefficient for the job.
Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green are far too prone to inefficient shooting nights, and with opposing teams clamping down even further in the playoffs, the Rockets will have to work doubly or triply as hard as their opponents just to generate points. At the very least, Houston has been showing that they can outwork their opponents; they lead the league in offensive rebounding percentage, which then results in a league-leading number of field-goal attempts per night. They are also very careful with the basketball, as they rank sixth in best turnover percentage.
But it won't hurt the Rockets to at least up their offensive shot-creation ceiling, even by just a bit, especially now that they've assumed contending status. This is not to say that Houston must trade for a Jimmy Butler, as that maneuver would cost the Rockets plenty of assets that they may not be prepared to part ways with in the middle of a season. But adding another player that could generate offense for the team when the game bogs down could be helpful.
Is CJ McCollum worth the grab?
It's a near-guarantee that the New Orleans Pelicans will be active on the trade market amid another lost season due to injuries. And to that end, perhaps CJ McCollum could be on the move again. Perhaps the Rockets can insert themselves into the McCollum trade conversation, as this potential trade shouldn't cost them plenty of assets anyway.
McCollum has plenty of playoff experience, which is not something that can be said for most of the players in the Rockets' rotation. Generating shots from the perimeter has long been the 33-year-old's strong suit; he's currently averaging 22.1 points per game on 45 percent shooting from the field and 37 percent from deep. In fact, he's making 3.1 three-pointers per game, which would lead the Rockets.
McCollum may not be a game-changing piece that would take the Rockets over the championship hump, but he can provide a ton of utility for a Rockets team that can benefit from a higher floor of offensive production.
