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

The Houston Rockets have opted for the fully non-GMO and organic path in development of their young core. This was made clear when the front office decided to steer away from reuniting with James Harden.

Instead of catering to the long-term demands of Harden, the Rockets spent on players that fit around the developmental needs of their young core. This strategy was created to build a perennial contender that would be flexible under the new CBA landscape, which rewards teams with homegrown talent selected via the draft.

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

Armed with a new head coach in Ime Udoka, someone who is known to develop a winning culture built off relationships,  trust, and accountability, the Houston Rockets are not cutting corners in phase two of the rebuild. Every player on the roster this year plays an important role, from the franchise faces such as Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun all the way to end-of-the-bench pieces like Aaron Holiday.

However, the player that can push this team past current expectations is none other than Kevin Porter Jr., for several reasons.

5. KPJ accepting a reserve role could propel the team forward

The Houston Rockets fanbase has been split on Kevin Porter Jr. since the beginning of his tenure with this team.

He dropped 50 points and 10 assists in an insane win over the soon-to-be champion Milwaukee Bucks, was the starting point guard during the most grueling moments of the tank, and has had multiple conflicts with the team in regard to his temper. In fact, he was pretty much given away by the Cleveland Cavaliers because it was reported that he threw food at a staff member.

Despite the polarity of Porter Jr, his talent is absolutely undeniable. 

Kevin Porter Jr.’s willingness to buy into his new role will be under a microscope when the 2023-24 season begins. The Rockets have brought in Fred VanVleet and Amen Thompson to take over point guard duties next season, forcing Kevin Porter Jr. to the wing or as an off-the-bench ball handler. If KPJ can embrace his new role, I predict they will have one of the deepest teams in the NBA, with a great chance of making the playoffs. 

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. 

3. KPJ could be the Rockets' version of Manu Ginobili

KPJ has the ability to be in the running for the Sixth Man of the Year award, and if he does perform according to expectations, I fully expect a 12-15 game jump in the win column.

It is no coincidence that the team that fields a Sixth Man of the Year candidate is usually firmly in the playoff rankings. By definition, the Sixth Man is a starting quality player who sacrifices his own production and minutes for the betterment of the team.

However KPJ is special even amongst typical reserve prospects. He definitely fits the mold as a microwave scorer, capable of getting hot at all three levels, but he is also one of the Rockets’ best perimeter defenders as well.

Tack on the playmaking reps he’s gotten over the past two seasons and we might have a Sixth Man with multiple upsides, perhaps fitting the mold of Manu Ginobili.  He will lead Amen Thompson,  Tari Eason/Cam Whitmore, Jeff Green/Jae'Sean Tate, and Jock Landale against opposing bench units.

This already projects as an above-average unit and will look even scarier when Udoka experiments with different lineups. KPJ has the potential to make this unit dominate, whether as a spot primary ball handler or as a secondary playmaker off of Thompson’s drives.

I can see the bench unit outplaying the starters on certain given nights, which is a testament to how much talent the Rockets have. An Amen to Kevin alley-oop would be a staple in second quarters, but I am most excited to see them put opposing backcourts in jail. Udoka has all the tools on his bench to create a suffocating defense. 

2. KPJ having a bad attitude could impede the Rockets' potential climb

Of course, all of this would be amazing, but we also have to understand that this will be a pretty big blow to Porter Jr’s ego. Enter the the latter scenario I mentioned earlier.

If he feels undermined by the team, and that this demotion is a slap in the face to the work he’s put in, then it could spell real trouble for this team. KPJ was not exactly thrilled about the Rockets drafting a point guard with their top pick, as made apparent with this tweet.

So I can only imagine how he felt when Fred VanVleet was brought in to be the starting point guard. This is probably the most passive-aggressive way to tell someone that you’re a wing going forward.

Given Porter Jr’s history, there is real concern about his attitude toward these changes. A bitter player can quickly sour the chemistry of a team, especially one as young as the Houston Rockets.

1. KPJ could make life easier for Ime Udoka

Although Ime Udoka is known to be a disciplinarian and relates well with players, there is a limit to how much one man can be accountable for. Regardless of how skilled a coach is, the first year of guiding a young team will not be easy.

There will be the habits that were picked up during the Stephen Silas era that must be broken and the young players must learn to be a professional in a league that puts business over winning at times. Udoka did a great job managing the locker room of the Boston Celtics' young team, however, this team is even younger and will require more patience when conveying what is required to be great. 

At the end of all of this, it will require the man himself to trust in Udoka’s plan for him or to plot his own intentions. I am quite optimistic though, as Kevin Porter Jr was present during Udoka’s introductory press conference, and in no world do I see KPJ challenging Udoka’s authority.

The Rockets have a talent problem at hand, which is a sign of budding good teams, the management and development of these pieces will determine how far up the standings the Rockets can climb. Kevin Porter Jr. has the ability to be one of the elite wings in the NBA, just like his teammate Jalen Green.

The hope is that they push each other to climb toward the upper echelon of off-guards, giving the Rockets an explosive and sustainable offense for years to come. Manu was an enigma as well, and maybe KPJ can have a similar career.

Sacrifice for his teammates to see, and help build a culture that can win multiple championships. Maybe the Harden comparisons were a bit clunky, but I think the Manu mold could be legendary for KPJ.