Rockets' ideal fifth starter is right in front of their faces

Ime Udoka says the Houston Rockets don't know who their fifth starter in 2025-26 will be yet. It should be Jabari Smith Jr.

That will be a controversial statement. Tari Eason will have his supporters. Dorian Finney-Smith is another candidate. Arguably, they're both better players than Smith Jr.:

But he should start anyway.

Rockets' Jabari Smith Jr. is a starting-caliber player

Let's start with Eason.

The pair of forwards have invited plenty of comparison. They were both selected in the 2022 NBA Draft. Smith Jr. was picked third, and Eason was picked 17th. Yet, Eason has been (almost inarguably) better than Smith Jr. throughout their careers so far.

That doesn't mean he should start ahead of him.

To begin with, Smith Jr. is the better shooter. Granted, Eason has shot 34.5% to Smith Jr.'s 34.0% so far, but the volume gap is far wider. Smith Jr. has attempted 4.9 threes per game to Eason's 2.5. If you watch the Rockets, you'll understand those numbers. Eason shoots a comparable percentage because defenses don't respect his shot.

That's not to say Smith Jr. is the better player. Shooting is a complementary skill. Playing the other starters alongside a player with three-point gravity will make life easier for everyone.

Eason can even play more minutes than Smith Jr. That's inconsequential. This isn't just about Smith Jr.'s portability - it's also about Eason's optimal role. When he plays as a sparkplug off the bench, the Rockets can throw an unhittable curveball at opponents.

As for Finney-Smith, the idea behind signing veterans has always been to supplement the younger guys. Finney-Smith was a good signing, but if he takes opportunities away from the Rockets' younger wings, that statement can be revisited.

Udoka may see it differently. He'll surely be tempted to lean into his veterans. The Rockets will play a wing-heavy rotation anyway, and Finney-Smith will get lots of minutes, but they shouldn't come at the expense of Smith Jr. or Eason. Smith Jr. should be in the starting lineup at the beginning of the year:

But that lineup could be fluid.

Eason should get opportunity to start for the Rockets

In theory, Smith Jr. complements the starters. If the numbers hold that in practice, the team is better with Eason on the floor, he could eventually get the nod.

The same could even be said for Finney-Smith. If Houston looks like they're en route to a championship, they can operate solely on a win-now basis. Udoka can be flexible:

But for now, the answer is Smith Jr.