In what was internally viewed as Phase 1 of Houston’s rebuild under former head coach Stephen Silas, top rookies Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. averaged more than 30 minutes per game in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 season — even when both clearly struggled.
Entering 2023-24, as the Rockets enter Phase 2 of the rebuild under new head coach Ime Udoka, it sounds as if the standard will be very different. (The addition of several veterans from Houston’s massive salary cap room entering free agency may also be a factor.)
Whatever the case, Udoka made it clear at Monday’s introductory press conference for newly drafted rookies Amen Thompson (No. 4 of the NBA’s 2023 first round) and Cam Whitmore (No. 20) that they would have to earn playing time. Furthermore, the same goes for the rest of Houston’s developing roster.
Here’s what Udoka said Monday at Toyota Center:
A lot of the (playing) time and positions, those things have been given, so to speak, with the young guys. There’ll be changes now in Phase 2. We are adding some more young pieces but also adding some veterans. So I think this will kind of raise the level of competition. Nothing is handed out anymore.
Myself and the new staff coming in, we’ve kind of stressed that to the guys. For us, it’s just adding the right pieces, raising the whole level of the organization. I think veterans will help, but we love the young, talented guys, and it’s a balance. Some guys will play different roles than they have been.
But I think we have high-character guys that are all used to winning and trying to get on that level. And so they’ll do what they have to do to sacrifice for the team, but it is Phase 2, and we’re looking forward to taking a big step.
Additional information and tidbits on Udoka, along with full video of the press conference in its entirety, is available below.