Houston Rockets starter has obvious new role after NBA Draft

Due to the fact that the Houston Rockets are the most likely team to land Paolo Banchero, Kevin Porter Jr. will have an obvious new role on offense in 2022 after the draft.

After seeing the results of the 2022 NBA Draft Lottery, everyone on the planet seems to be of the mind that Paolo Banchero is almost a guarenteed lock to get drafted by the Houston Rockets.

There are some optimists out there that seems to think that a guy like Jabari Smith or Chet Holmgren could slip to the Rockets for a variety of reasons, but let's just face the music.

All three of the forwards are going to be a fit on this roster one way or another. Smith might make the most sense due to the fact that he would likely disrput the least and fit into what has already been built with ease, but the Rockets aren't in a position to start drafting for fit.

Houston will be happy to land any of these guys as they will be an obvious number two to Jalen Green going forward, and that number two looks like Banchero.

Banchero is a great offensive player with some questions about his defense, and Rockets fans should start to get excited about how their offense will change as a result of getting a ball-dominant scorer like Banchero in the fold.

What does this mean for the guards? Little for Jalen Green, but Kevin Porter Jr. is going to have to adapt his game to fit in on offense after this likely selection is made.

If Porter wants to remain a part of this team for the long term, he is going to need to do more with less. This means giving up time with the ball in favor of Banchero while still finding a way to distribute the ball with efficency and shoot from three consistently.

KPJ isn't going to have to completely take himself out of plays, but how effectively he moves the ball and takes shots is going to directly impact his future more than most other guys on the team.

The Rockets need KPJ to take a small step back with touches without actually stepping back in his production. This is a tricky line to walk, but it will work the best for everyone involved if the team can find a way to successfully integrate the rookie with the rest of the constructed core.

Can Kevin Porter Jr. rise to the occasion? We think so, but we will need to see the same steady growth that we saw last year and then some if he is going to solidify himself as a part of the future of this franchise.

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