Jabari Smith Jr and Steven Adams give the Rockets a secret edge in stacked West

The Rockets are fully committed to their current roster after refusing to make any big additions this offseason. Some may consider that a mistake, but they would be discounting the unique advantages that Houston enjoys by employing both Jabari Smith Jr and Steven Adams, which allows them to play either a switchable finesse lineup or the most physical bully ball in the league. Between those two bigs, the Rockets have everything they need to roll out different looks without giving up size.

The Rockets can succeed with different lineups

Houston is committed to their current core, and for good reason. Without a solidified point guard for the entirety of last season, the Rockets still won 52 games, good for 5th in the West. And that record was even better with Adams in the lineup: a dazzling 21-11 record. Unfortunately, Adams suffered a season-ending ankle injury in January which derailed the Rockets' hobbled campaign even further.

Adams' injury was significant not only because of his obvious production on the court, especially as a rebounder, but also because of the lost lineup versatility without him. When Adams was in the rotation, the Rockets always had the option to trot out the league's most intimidating frontcourt with him and Alperen Sengun side-by-side. This combination was a great wrinkle to throw against smaller teams or even teams with a less physical center *ahem* San Antonio Spurs *ahem*.

However, the Rockets also have the option to swing the exact opposite way with a viable small ball lineup thanks to Jabari Smith Jr. Smith typically plays the power forward spot for Houston and brings good size at 6'11". But he can also slide over to play center at times and give the Rockets more shooting on the court.

Smith's three-point shooting and solid all-around defense have made him a prototypical role player for the Rockets. Those attributes also make him extremely versatile and able to co-exist alongside a traditional center or 4 perimeter players, especially if one of those is Kevin Durant.

Houston doesn't have to worry about its versatile bigs

The Rockets will have to make some tough financial decisions soon regarding which players to prioritize on future contracts, but both Adams and Smith are locked into reasonable multi-year deals. Adams is under contract through 2028 on a declining deal, while Smith is secured until 2031.

Neither player fits the defintion of a superstar, but both allow the Rockets to succeed in underrated ways. Houston has other players to lead the scoring charge, but it's Smith and Adams who give the Rockets enough lineup versatility to win plenty of regular season games and even sneak out more playoff victories in the right matchups.

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