NBA regular season has passed one-third, and the Rockets are sitting in third place in the West. This young team is experiencing a dilemma about whether to introduce Butler, and this choice may affect their development path for many years to come.
The recent performance of the Rockets has impressed the league. The team is proving itself in a special way, playing an eye-catching offensive rhythm that gives opponents a headache.
VanVleet is leading a group of young players on the court with surprising chemistry. This chemistry makes the Rockets' offense more diverse, rather than relying solely on individual play as before.
Shen Jing's growth rate has exceeded many people's expectations. His performance on the court is becoming increasingly mature, especially in key moments when handling the ball, he is able to take on more responsibility.
Green's shooting ability gives the Rockets more tactical options. His threat from beyond the three-point line forces opponents to disperse their defensive attention, giving other teammates more offensive space.
This young Rockets team is proving with practical actions that rebuilding does not necessarily require a long time; as long as the direction is correct, the growth speed of young players can exceed expectations.
The depth of the Rockets' bench is also an important reason for their current success. The substitute lineup often maintains the score during the rest of the starters, and this rotation advantage is particularly important in the regular season.
The current Rockets are no longer the team that only relies on Harden's individual play. Their offense is more diversified, and their defense is more proactive, making them more difficult to defend.
The Heat put Butler on the trading market, which immediately attracted attention across the league, and the Rockets just happen to have enough chips to complete this trade.
Butler's contract issue is a factor that cannot be ignored. His contract worth more than 100 million dollars will bring great salary pressure to the team, which may affect the operating space in the next few years.
The Rockets' current lineup is in an upward trend. Whether it is appropriate to introduce a 35-year-old veteran rashly is a question that makes the management hesitate, after all, the development space of young players is still very large.
In terms of strength, Butler can indeed immediately enhance the team's competitiveness. His experience and key ball ability are exactly what the Rockets currently lack the most.
However, looking at the long term, the cost of paying young players and draft picks for Butler seems too high, which may affect the team's future development plan.
The management is now facing a typical trade-off between short-term interests and long-term development, and this decision will directly affect the direction of the team in the next few years.
The Rockets' current situation is actually quite delicate. They want to maintain their current good momentum while not wanting to affect their future development space due to impulsive actions.
The arrival of Butler may change the team's existing style of play and chemistry, and it is difficult to predict whether this change is good or bad.
The performance of the NBA Cup exposed some problems of the Rockets, especially when facing strong teams, lacking a superstar who can stand up and carry the team.
In key games, the core players of the Rockets seem to have not found their best form, and this phenomenon may become more obvious in the playoffs.
Compared with other championship-contending teams, the Rockets still have a certain gap in individual ability, which may not be obvious in the regular season, but will be magnified in the playoffs.
The Rockets' current style of play is more like a whole, but in the history of the NBA, it is difficult for a team without a superstar to go further in the playoffs.
Although the current Rockets have a good record, they have not experienced the true test of the playoffs, and this lack of experience may become their weakness.
The intensity and confrontational nature of the playoffs will be higher than the regular season. In this case, whether the team can maintain their current style of play and efficiency is still a question.
The young players of the Rockets need time to accumulate experience, and this process may be accompanied by some setbacks, but it is also a stage that must be experienced for growth.
The current Rockets are like a product full of potential but not yet mature. They need time to perfect themselves, but time seems too luxurious for a team that wants to compete for the championship.