New Year, New Beginnings! The Rockets have made a significant change in 2025 that can be described as "closing the barn door after the horse has bolted," as Udoka has started to face reality. VanVleet, with his career-high salary, has delivered his worst performance since his rookie season, which many Rocket fans find unbearable. Udoka claims he doesn't care about social media comments, but he cannot ignore the dissatisfaction from players and management. Despite poor shooting, VanVleet still holds onto the ball, and the label of leadership given by Udoka fails to convince the young players on the team. On the other hand, Stone cannot stand idly by as a mercenary affects the growth of the "Houston Prince." In 2025, Udoka's protégé VanVleet has seen a noticeable decrease in shot attempts, with only 8, 7, and 11 shots respectively. With more ball possession, Jalen Green has scored 22, 27, and 33 points in the last three games. Jalen Green has regained confidence, showcasing his skills against the Celtics and Lakers with drives, mid-range shots, and three-pointers, improving offensive efficiency and defense while significantly reducing turnovers. Jalen Green had only one turnover against the Celtics and zero against the Lakers. Jalen Green once displayed the demeanor of a superstar last season and played well in the first five games this season. However, Udoka still insisted on the basic strategy of pick-and-roll, seeking stability. Although Jalen Green does have technical shortcomings, he is the player with the highest potential on the Rockets. Udoka, in pursuit of stability, could only let Jalen Green…

19 Points and 11 Rebounds! Amen Hopes to Replace Van Jordan, Rockets Want to Increase Ball-Handling Points, Bulls Offer Price Reading this article before, please click on "follow" for your convenience in discussing and sharing, which can also bring you a different sense of participation. Thank you for your support! The arrival of Biston has brought a new breeze to Houston. This new general manager reshaped the Rockets' lineup, changing the old model that relied on star players. He values young players and believes that through patient training, a new dynasty can be nurtured. The current Rockets are slowly showing the initial results of Stone's strategy. With a record of 12 wins and 6 losses, they are proud of most teams in the West, and fans have high hopes for this young group. Stone's operations along the way are worth reviewing. In 2020, he made a brilliant move with the Covington trade, as well as the unfortunate deal of Westbrook for Wall. However, what is most praised is that in the 2024 draft year, he successively obtained two rookies, Amen Thompson and Whitmore. This young combination is seen as the key to the future puzzle and is also the most successful part of Stone's "youthification" path. Stone advocates not pushing rookies into the starting lineup all at once but gradually in actual combat to hone and grow. Amen is the best example. This point guard is eager to replace veteran Van Jordan, but Coach Udoka understands his characteristics and starts from the bench warrior, gradually increasing Amen's playing time. In…

The Houston Rockets lost at home to the Boston Celtics, once again demonstrating that what the Rockets lack is top-tier star players. Currently, the Rockets do not have a single player who has reached All-Star level; even Alperen Sengun, whose statistics look decent, has poor defense. Despite still ranking third in the Western Conference, the Rockets will face many strong teams in the coming games. With the uncertain injuries of Smith and Ison, they may be out for an extended period, making it imperative for the Rockets to improve their roster through trades. The Rockets have been trying to pursue All-Star level players or even superstars. They offered a good deal of Jalen Green plus a first-round draft pick for Bridges when he was still with the Brooklyn Nets, but the trade ultimately did not materialize. Now, another opportunity has presented itself to Rockets' general manager Rafael Stone. If he is willing to provide sufficient assets, they could have a chance to acquire Jimmy Butler, the superstar forward from the Miami Heat. Jimmy Butler has had a falling out with the Heat and was suspended for seven games. It's a foregone conclusion that he will be traded. Butler previously expressed that the Rockets are one of the teams he would like to join. As a native of Houston, playing in front of his hometown crowd would be a return to his roots for the 35-year-old veteran. However, the Rockets seem to have little interest in Butler. According to the latest news, the Rockets' management has no intention of pursuing Butler.…

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…

This season, the Rockets have continued to make progress and are currently firmly ranked among the top three in the Western Conference. Unless there are serious injuries or other unexpected events, it should not be a big problem for the Rockets to return to the playoff stage. However, the Rockets' shortcomings are also obvious, which is the lack of a true first-line superstar. Once the game enters the decisive moments, the Rockets can only rely on defense to win. If the opponent has an excellent shooting performance, the Rockets find it difficult to respond offensively. As a result, they have been overwhelmed or reversed at critical moments several times. From the current situation, the Rockets are considered the top disruptor in the league. Noted journalist Tim Bontemps lists three advantages of Houston, including the fact that the Rockets have many young players with significant potential and room for growth; even if they cannot retain all these young players, packaging some of them with draft picks to trade away can still bring substantial gains to the Rockets; head coach Ime Udoka is highly skilled, and since he joined the Rockets, he has brought about many positive changes to the team and has received a lot of praise and acclaim within the circle of superstars. It can be said that for Rockets general manager Rafael Stone, he needs to make some zero-for-all operations next, which may change the landscape of the league and make the Rockets a championship contender again. Since drafting Reed Sheppard, several young players have been collectively referred to…