The Houston Rockets remain one of the NBA’s youngest teams. Yet, entering what is considered by most as the third season of a franchise rebuild, there are clear signs of optimism beginning to emerge.
It starts with second-year guard Jalen Green and rookie forward Jabari Smith Jr., who each excelled in the recently completed preseason while helping lead the Rockets to a 3-1 record as a team.
For Green, he looks to have picked up where he left off in his dynamic 2021-22 rookie season, which finished with a historic scoring burst that led to his spot on the league’s All-Rookie First Team.
For Smith, selected by Houston at No. 3 overall in the first round of the 2022 NBA draft, this season offers an opportunity to justify that lofty draft placement and show his potential as a future cornerstone.
Combine that duo with other promising young players like Alperen Sengun, Tari Eason, KJ Martin, and recently extended guard Kevin Porter Jr., and it’s easy to see some of the reasons for optimism.
With that in mind, here’s a look at the full Rockets roster entering the 2022-23 regular season. This version includes all moves made to trim from Houston’s 20-man roster at training camp to the NBA’s limit of 15 standard contracts and two two-way deals for the season, such as the recent waiving of veteran big man Derrick Favors.