1 Question about every player on the Rockets' training camp roster

Houston Rockets basketball is back.

It's been a long wait, hasn't it? Sure, technically, it's been the same amount of time that always passes between seasons. When approaching a playoff-or-bust season, time crawls a little more slowly.

Well, we're here. The preseason is about to begin, and training camp is well underway. There's no shortage of intriguing players on the Rockets' training camp roster.

Here's one question about each of them.

Steven Adams

Has he fully recovered?

Early reports suggest that Adams is looking great. We couldn't be happier to hear that.

Is he his old self? Is this the best screensetter and offensive rebounder in the NBA? It will be exciting to find out if Adams is the same guy the Rockets surrendered four second-round picks to acquire.

Dillon Brooks

Can he scale down his role?

Brooks is an infamously frustrating player. He can be one of the best 3-and-D (emphasis on the D) wings in the NBA, but his forays into isolation offense leave much to be desired.

Can he leave them in the past in 2024-25? Can Brooks be the pure 3-and-D wing the Rockets need?

N'Faly Dante

Is he an NBA player?

There's not much to say about Dante at this juncture. He was outplayed by Orlando Robinson in Summer League. We're not sure if we'll ever see Dante playing regular NBA minutes.

It's on him to prove that he's capable in training camp.

Tari Eason

See Steven Adams

Sure, there are larger questions to ask about Eason. Can he be a reliable floor spacer? Does he have a means of creating offense in the halfcourt?

None of that matters if he isn't healthy. If nothing else, Eason is one of the best hustle players in the NBA. He could be instrumental to the Rockets in 2024-25 if he's good to go.

Jalen Green

Has he turned the corner?

By now, you've got the skinny (no pun intended) on Green. He's capable of stringing together superstar-level performances, but he's not capable of doing is consistently.

If that changes in 2024-25, the Rockets will have a breakout star on their squad. If it doesn't, they'll likely be looking at a trade candidate by the deadline.

Jeff Green

Is he finished?

Green was inconsistent in 2023-24. We won't knock him for that. At 37 (now 38), how much more could he have in the tank?

With the addition of Adams, Green should be a "break in case of emergency" player in 2024-25. That's perfect. Green is a strong veteran voice that the organization will be glad to have on the bench, even if he doesn't find his way to the floor.

Nate Hinton

See N'Faly Dante

Let's be honest - training camp is a proving ground. There are guys on this roster who won't play in the big leagues.

Is Hinton one of them? He's been around the organization for a while, but he's never carved out a regular season role. Will 2024-25 be an exception, or is Hinton closer to a fringe NBA player?

Aaron Holiday

Is he better than Reed Sheppard?

It's hard for rookies to usurp veterans. Even if Sheppard is a future NBA superstar, there's no guarantee that he'll be a better player than Holiday during his maiden voyage.

Realistically, he's the only threat to Holiday's rotation spot in 2024-25. We know what Holiday will bring to the table - solid, unspectacular guard play. Is that enough to keep him in the rotation?

Jock Landale

Could his shooting keep him in the rotation?

By Landale's own admission, Adams and Alperen Sengun are both superior players. That's true- but Landale is the best shooter of the bunch.

Could Ime Udoka put him on the floor when he needs spacing at the 5 spot? Or, will he lean into Jabari Smith Jr. in those situations? It's hard to imagine any other reason (short of injuries) that Landale would see playing time this year.

Jack McVeigh

Is he viable defensively?

McVeigh is a tall shooter. That gives him a de facto opportunity to succeed in the NBA. If he can't defend at an NBA level, it's a moot point.

It will be interesting to see what McVeigh brings to the table. He plays with a lot of heart, but if his lateral mobility is too limited, that may not keep him on an NBA floor.

Jermaine Samuels

See Nate Hinton

Apologies for the lack of creativity here.

Really - what else is there to ask about Samuels? He has not established himself as an NBA player. He has an opportunity to do that in training camp, and nothing else matters if he isn't able to do it.

Alperen Sengun

Has the defense improved?

Sengun looks slimmed down. In the training camp footage we've seen, it also looks like he's defending higher at the level, and switching more regularly.

Is that the solution to his defensive woes? Sengun doesn't seem likely to be a stout rim protector at any point in his career, but if he can survive switches against wings, the Rockets could deploy him in a less conventional scheme for years to come.

Reed Sheppard

Can he create for himself?

Sheppard may be the buzziest player on the roster right now. Lottery picks tend to generate a lot of anticipation ahead of their first season.

He's certainly flashed playmaking chops. Sheppard can make difficult reads in the pick-and-roll. Will that be enough for him to create at the NBA level, or could athletic limitations hold him back?

Jabari Smith Jr.

Where is the improvement coming from?

Smith Jr. had an abysmal rookie season. He had a solid sophomore year. Smith Jr. didn't necessarily make a huge leap in any one category. Instead, he made marginal gains across the board.

If that trend continues, the Rockets will celebrate. It doesn't matter how Smith Jr. improves, as long as he does it. Who knows where that continued improvement may come from?

Jae'Sean Tate

Has the shooting improved?

Tate is an undersized wing who can't shoot the three-ball reliably. The fact that he's come as far in the NBA as he has is remarkable.

Tate is a solid ball-handler who can put pressure on the rim. His strength allows him to defend multiple positions. This year, it feels likely that he'll fall out of Houston's rotation anyway: unless his shooting has made significant progress.

Amen Thompson

Can he hit free throws?

Let's not be delusional - we know Thompson won't be a floor spacer this year. If he was even close to league average, it would be an almost unprecedented leap in skill development.

Could he knock down 70% of his freebies? 75%? If Thompson was a reliable free throw shooter, it would be easier to justify putting the ball in his hands. If he gets to the rim, it's a good possession for the Rockets whether he makes the field goal or not - if he's knocking down his free throws.

Fred VanVleet

Does he need the ball again?

There's a bit of tension between VanVleet and the Rockets' timeline.

Thompson came into the NBA as a point guard. Sheppard has some potential to play the position. If the Rockets' offense is still fundamentally dependent on VanVleet, it's going to be difficult for either to get enough opportunities.

Cam Whitmore

Will he pass the ball?

In 2023-24, Whitmore dished out 1.35 assists per 75 possessions. He turned the ball over 1.88 times per game by the same measure.

That's unacceptable. As talented as Whitmore is, the Rockets are flush with young talent. If he can't learn how to share the ball with his teammates, he may struggle to get on the floor in 2024-25.

Nate Williams Jr.

See several other players

You know the drill. Williams Jr. is barely an NBA player. Perhaps he can change that fact in training camp. He'd better hurry:

Rockets basketball is just around the corner.