The Houston Rockets will be one of the more intriguing teams during the 2023-24 season. Houston's already made a number of impactful roster moves and they are expected to improve moving forward. Jabari Smith Jr may also be in line for progression, and he recently commented on why he opted to play in the NBA Summer League, per Jackson Gatlin.

“I'm 20 years old,” Smith said. “Why wouldn't I play Summer League? We were 22-60 last year…My rookie year wasn't perfect, so why not get out here and get reps, play with my new teammates and coaches.”

Jabari Smith Jr's future remains bright

Smith, as he stated, did not have the best rookie season. That said, he still displayed signs of potential. He finished the 2022-23 campaign with a 12.8 points per game average. However, he battled low shooting efficiency throughout the year. If he can find the bottom of the net on a more consistent basis, Smith will probably have a breakout 2023-24 performance.

Smith also helped on the glass and was durable last year, averaging 7.2 rebounds per game and appearing in 79 contests.

Rockets' 2023-24 season outlook

Houston's young players will continue to improve. Smith Jr's ceiling is fairly high, and Jalen Green could emerge as a superstar. Meanwhile, the Rockets added established talent in veterans like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks.

This Houston team is not quite ready to compete for a championship just yet, but the future is growing increasingly bright. Fans will also monitor the team's moves as rumors continues to swirl about a potential James Harden trade.