Ranking the 5 Rockets with the most to prove in 2024-25

The Houston Rockets have a lot to prove in 2024-25.

Sure, they made some good points in 2023-24. The Rockets went from the league's basement to the middle of the crowd. Still, they surely aren't satisfied. Another .500 season won't satiate this team - or the front office.

That would suggest that the Rockets have landed on the dreaded "mediocrity treadmill". The Rockets need to continue moving forward. The bar for success from last season has risen ahead of 2024-25.

It isn't only the team with something to prove. Each individual player has something to prove as well. Some players on the team have more to prove than others.

Here are the 5 Rockets with the most to prove in 2024-25.

5. Alperen Sengun

Some will say that Sengun has nothing to prove. Fair enough. The Turkish big man averaged 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game in 2023-24. With a Box Plus/Minus (BPM) of 4.9, Sengun seems to be on his way to stardom.

Sure. Stardom is great - most players never reach those heights. Still, if Sengun wants to aim higher, he's got plenty to prove. If Sengun wants to be the Rockets' franchise player, they'll need to see more improvement.

Specifically, he'll likely need to either develop a reliable three-ball or make strides on defense. A non-shooting defensive liability makes for a difficult building block. If that's who Sengun is, the Rockets may opt to build around someone else.

Sengun needs to prove that he can be more.

4. Steven Adams

Adams has proven plenty throughout his NBA career. He's a winning player. When Adams is on the floor, his thunderous screens and relentless offensive rebounding tend to result in a positive net rating.

Can he stay on the floor? That's what he needs to prove in 2024-25. Moreover, he needs to prove that his recent injuries haven't drained his superpowers. Adams needs to prove that he's still an NBA player who's worthy of starter consideration.

If he can, the Rockets could even look to flip him at the deadline. With Sengun entrenched in the starting position, the Rockets could opt to pick up assets for Adams and find a more suitable backup if a contender is looking to land him at the deadline.

Alternatively, they could decide that he's too valuable to their cause to part with. Either way, all of those possibilities are contingent on Adams delivering his former level of production next year.

3. Jabari Smith Jr.

If we'd published this list after 2022-23, Smith Jr. likely would have landed in the pole position. Luckily, he proved a lot throughout the 2023-24 season.

Smith Jr.'s three-point percentage spiked. His overall production was raised accordingly. That's encouraging - but we doubt it's enough for Smith Jr.

This is a competitive, hard-nosed kid. Meanwhile, Smith Jr. still didn't quite look the part of a former No. 3 pick in 2023-24. That's fine - Smith Jr. is young - but we'd like to see him trend toward that level in 2024-24.

We're not sure how that looks. With so much young talent on the Rockets, Smith Jr. may not find many more self-creation reps. If he could just continue to up his three-point accuracy and improve his defense, he should prove that the Rockets made the right choice in the 2022 NBA Draft.

2. Dillon Brooks

Brooks has nothing left to prove on the defensive end of the floor. He's established himself as a premiere perimeter stopper. Unfortunately, his offensive value remains a question mark.

It was a tale of two seasons for Brooks last year. Leading up to the All-Star break, he was shooting 39.9% from long-range. After the break, he shot 29.6%. Brooks' 0.54 points per possession in isolation landed in the 7th percentile. He's not much of a playmaker either - if Brooks isn't hitting threes, he isn't providing much on offense.

For years, fans have wanted him to function as an archetypical 3-and-D wing. We suspect Ime Udoka would share that desire. In 2024-25, we'd love to see Brooks prove that he can scale his role down, play within the offense, and be effective.

If he can do that, the Rockets may be pleased to continue paying him roughly $20 million a year. Otherwise, they may start to view his contract as an albatross. Brooks has a lot to prove:

But one Rocket has more.

1. Jalen Green

Was there any doubt?

Green was the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft. He was the Rockets' sole source of light during a dark time. Fans of the team tied their hopes and dreams to the confident young guard with the blindingly quick first step.

Now, some of those hopes and dreams look dashed. The Rockets have a surplus of young talent and a myriad of trade options. Meanwhile, Green has fallen behind.

At the same time, it's hard to sell entirely on his potential. At times, Green has looked the part of a future superstar. With his extension looming, this would be the year to prove that he can fill those shoes:

Or not.