The Houston Rockets (33-20) are already fifth in the Western Conference, and soon they'll get even stronger. Forward Jabari Smith Jr. (fractured hand), who's been out since Jan. 3, is targeting a return date of Feb. 21 vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves, via NBA insider Chris Haynes.

Smith's agent Wallace Prather also mentioned that he could wait until the end of the month.

“The Rockets are one of the top teams in the Western Conference standings, and with Jabari Smith on the verge of being back in the mix, this only bodes well for their second-half stretch run,” Haynes said in his update video.

Smith is averaging 11.9 points on 43.5% shooting with 6.5 rebounds and one assist across 30.9 minutes per game this season. The 21-year-old started in all 33 of his appearances.

The Rockets need Jabari Smith Jr.

Houston is still within striking distance of the West's top teams despite losing six of its last seven games. The Rockets are nearly tied with the Los Angeles Lakers (32-19), while they're only 1.5 games behind the Denver Nuggets (35-19) and three behind the Memphis Grizzlies (36-17). However, they need Smith for defense and rebounding, via NBA.com's John Schumann.

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“The losing streak was the Rockets’ worst stretch of defense this season (121 points allowed per 100 possessions). Their opponents shot relatively well, but the Rockets also struggled to force turnovers and secure the defensive glass,” Schumann said.

“The rebounding issue goes back to the absence of Jabari Smith Jr. for the last 20 games,” he continued. “Amen Thompson has shined as Smith’s replacement in the starting lineup, but the Rockets have grabbed just 67.7% of available defensive rebounds with Smith off the floor, compared to 74.4% with him on the floor.”

“They’ve ranked 28th in defensive rebounding percentage over his absence, down from 11th prior,” he concluded.

It's not surprising that Houston has suffered on the glass sans Smith, as he's third on the team in rebounds per game. The team could also use his length inside, as he's 6-foot-10.

Smith can now point to this recent stretch as evidence of how much the Rockets need him when he hits restricted free agency and negotiates a new contract in 2026.