Rockets face important Jabari Smith Jr. question only he can answer

The Houston Rockets, with their new-look offense centered around Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun, have looked absolutely formidable despite their being positioned in a loaded Western Conference, and, as of now, it's safe to say that this team is among the top championship contenders in the NBA.

Yet, as the season goes on, they will still need to get a clearer picture of where their players outside of their two star scorers lie, and, in the course of that task, one central question must be answered. Is Jabari Smith Jr. capable of being the team's tertiary star scorer?

Amen Thompson is already developing into a two-way star, and there are no questions about his ability to anchor the Rockets' defense. Yet, the team still desperately needs another scorer who can capitalize off of the gravity that Durant and Sengun possess.

Therefore, Smith must answer one pivotal question this season. Is he that guy for Houston?

Jabari Smith Jr. must be a star scorer as well for this Rockets team to reach their ceiling

Smith, after being relegated to a bench role during his injury rehab process late last season, has fully seized a starting role in Houston's frontcourt this season, and he's quietly having a career year in doing so.

Through his first 17 games, he's averaging 14.9 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 51% from the field and 37.8% from beyond the arc. He's also been remarkably consistent this season, having scored in single digits only once through this first swathe of games.

One would imagine that, with the team's offensive focal points being Durant and Sengun, his ceiling as a scorer is not much higher than that. His usage is sitting at around the same level it has over past seasons, and it appears as though he is settling into this role in a way that he has not before.

Yet, in order for this Rockets team to operate at full capacity, they will need Smith to prolong this level of performance over the course of the whole season. When opposing defenses swarm Durant and Sengun in the clutch minutes of games, they need an outlet on whom they can depend to get buckets.

Through his first three seasons in the NBA, Smith showed flashes of this scoring ability despite his issues with consistency. Has he finally put it all together?

It remains to be seen, but, if he has, he is the piece that will make this Houston team truly, truly dangerous as they attempt to push this roster into championship contention.