Rockets’ playoff exit may force painful decision on beloved young core

The Houston Rockets’ season has officially ended with a disappointing first-round exit at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers. For a team that entered the year with higher expectations, falling short this early should force a serious offseason conversation.

After any disappointing result, a fanbase is forced to ask an uncomfortable question: is this team capable of winning a championship as currently constructed? Rockets fans should be asking that exact question about their current core.

What is this team’s ceiling?

Houston has one of the best young cores in the league: Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, and Tari Eason. They complement that young core with proven veterans in Kevin Durant, Fred VanVleet, and Steven Adams.

That group of players gives Houston an extremely effective top nine. The easiest excuse to make for the Rockets’ disappointing playoff result is that their top three veteran players combined to play just one playoff game because of injuries.

But injuries are part of the equation for every team, especially when so much of the roster depends on older veterans. Durant is 37 years old and has a long injury history. Adams is 32 and has also dealt with significant injuries. VanVleet has been fairly durable, but the history of smaller guards aging deep into their 30s is not exactly encouraging.

The next thing to consider is how the young core fits together. Clearly, head coach Ime Udoka values defense-first players. That puts offensive dynamo Reed Sheppard in a difficult position. Sheppard is, by far, the best shooter among the young guns, but his defensive limitations hold him back.

Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun are two budding stars, but they each have an obvious weakness: shooting. For Houston to have a viable offense, Udoka needs to surround the two stars with capable shooters.

Sheppard fits that description, and Thompson could help mask his defensive limitations. Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason are much closer to average shooters than good shooters. A healthy Durant and VanVleet are both good-to-great shooters as well.

Given all of this, VanVleet, Sheppard, Thompson, Durant, and Sengun give the Rockets a dangerous offensive core. Adams also provides the physicality and toughness that remain central to Houston’s identity.

That leaves Smith Jr. and Eason in an uncomfortable position. Both are useful players, and both fit Udoka’s defensive identity, but neither is a clean offensive fit next to Thompson and Sengun. If Houston decides it needs more shooting and creation around its two young stars, one of Smith or Eason could become the obvious trade chip.

What should Houston do?

Trading Eason or Smith Jr. only makes sense if Houston gets a proven player back who upgrades its shooting and half-court offense. Smith Jr. just signed a lucrative long-term contract extension, while Eason is a restricted free agent. That will affect both of their trade values, even if it is hard to predict exactly how.

Still, if Smith or Eason can help bring back a player who better fits a balanced Rockets offense, the team may need to seriously consider it. Houston has a talented core, but talent alone is not enough. If the Rockets want to break through with this group, they may need to make an uncomfortable decision about their homegrown talent.

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