Rockets Retool for Title Run After Jalen Green's Departure

In the 2025 NBA season, the Houston Rockets are poised to make a strong push for the championship after finalizing a roster that the front office believes has a realistic chance of winning it all. The departure of Jalen Green has allowed the Rockets to bolster their roster with additional shooters, defenders, and rebounders, giving them a chance to compete at a high level.

However, the loss of Green, one of the team's best paint attackers, means the Rockets may need to rely more on their jump shooting than in previous seasons. Amen Thompson is the player who can contribute rim pressure at a similar or higher rate than Green, and he will be taking on more responsibility in the offense this year. Thompson is an elite finisher at the rim, but he has not shown the same level of outside shooting ability as Green.

Alperen Sengun, another key player for the Rockets, provides pressure at the rim in a more traditional post-up style. The combination of Thompson and Sengun's different approaches to attacking the paint may create some challenges, as Sengun's presence in the post could limit Thompson's ability to drive and finish at the rim.

To address these concerns, the Rockets are pivoting to a more shooting-focused approach, surrounding Thompson and Sengun with sharpshooters like Kevin Durant, Fred VanVleet, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Jabari Smith Jr. This strategy aims to relieve some of the pressure created by the team's interior threats and provide more spacing for the offense to operate effectively.