In Monday’s championship, the Rockets and summer-league head coach Ben Sullivan fell one game short of accomplishing their goal of winning the NBA’s 2023 summer league. With a 99-78 loss to the unbeaten Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston finished with a 5-1 record.
Yet, as general manager Rafael Stone and new head coach Ime Udoka watched courtside, they witnessed several positive developments over those two weeks in Las Vegas. Many may help the Rockets become more successful as they enter a self-proclaimed Phase 2 of their rebuilding process, starting with the 2023-24 season.
Rookie point guard Amen Thompson (left ankle sprain) was ruled out of summer-league play after one game, and second-year forwards Jabari Smith Jr. and Tari Eason (rest) were ruled out after the second. But all three made a big impression on Stone and Udoka during their limited playing time.
Meanwhile, those absences provided opportunities for other players on the summer roster — most notably, rookie forward Cam Whitmore (summer-league MVP) and second-year guard Trevor Hudgins, who remains on a two-way contract with Houston. Both Whitmore and Hudgins made major contributions as the Rockets won three of their final four games, even without three big names.
With summer league officially in the books, here’s a look back at some key statistics and takeaways from six games in Las Vegas.
(Editor’s note: Ben DuBose also contributed to this article.)