5 reasons Kevin Porter Jr. will be the lynch-pin to the Rockets success next season

4. KPJ's buy-in could help push his younger teammates

The Rockets have an organic team. What does that mean? For starters, it means they have players that fit along each other, have been drafted, and are relatively on the same timeline.

They are loaded with young talent that they did not have to give up assets to get. Credit to Rockets GM Rafael Stone and the front office,  sunny days seem to be ahead for the Houston Rockets.

So how does an enigma like Kevin Porter Jr fit into this scenario? Will he be the power-packed fertilizer that creates explosive growth for this group, or will he feel undermined that his teammates are given more attention? If the former scenario rings true, KPJ would not only maximize his value and production but also help every other key piece on this roster star in their role.

The current projected starting lineup for next season does not have Kevin Porter Jr, but things could change during training camp (looks like Jalen Green is working hard to keep that starting spot). Given Udoka’s well-known penchant towards a meritocracy, this situation can really boost the sense of urgency and intensity in the team’s culture, and KPJ is the perfect powder keg to kick it off.

Imagine training camp where a locked in KPJ is challenging Jalen Green, Tari Eason, Cam Whitmore, and our other young guards and wings for starting roles and playing time. Each player sharpening the other, trying to capitalize on their own potential as fast as they possibly can. Imagine this energy throughout the rest of the regular season.

This team was already exciting with the amount of talent currently on the roster, but a team with this amount of talent and a competitive chip on their shoulders, reminds me of how the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings stormed through their renaissance regular seasons.