4 Questions the Rockets need to answer before the trade deadline

3. Is Jabari Smith Jr. a star?

We're not worried about Smith Jr.

His sizeable improvement between his rookie and sophomore seasons eased our concerns. Smith Jr. has an extremely portable game. He should be able to fit into any vision of the future the Rockets have.

Is he a featured offensive weapon? That's a different question. At 6'11" with a smooth jumper, Smith Jr. should be able to create his own offense in the midrange area. We're picturing LaMarcus Aldridge with more defensive utility.

It may be difficult for Smith Jr. to find space to become that player with these Rockets. If Green does improve, he'll remain ahead of Smith Jr. in the offensive hierarchy. Sengun occupies similar places on the floor. What if guys like Amen Thompson, Reed Sheppard, and Cam Whitmore emerge as primary options?

In that event, Smith Jr. could be a role player on this team. That's perfectly fine, but it could render him more expendable as the deadline approaches.

We're eager to see how Ime Udoka's offense looks next season...