The Houston Rockets hired Ime Udoka to change their culture, direction and identity. That move has been a success, with the Rockets looking like a professional franchise for the first time in years. Alperen Şengün has stepped into the role of franchise centerpiece and the veterans they added in free agency like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks have helped the Rockets instill discipline and professionalism.
Houston is a tough team now. The Rockets have a strong defensive identity, seventh-best in the league, and their young players are all making strides. Şengün will likely finish as the runner-up Most Improved Player this season. While Jabari Smith is shooting 37% and has games where he vanishes, his fit and contributions on both ends of the floor are meaningful. Cam Whitmore looks like a hit as a scoring wing. And Tari Eason is a defensive monster.
All of this provides a lot of promise for Houston's future and gives its front office and coaching staff a lot to work with over the next half-decade.
And all of it makes Jalen Green's situation all the more concerning.
Green was drafted No. 2 overall in 2021 and was made to be the franchise going forward. He was given free rein of the offense under former coach Stephen Silas, and despite his inefficiency, he was considered to be the team's most important player. But alongside Kevin Porter Jr., Green was the head of the snake for a team that was so undisciplined, disorganized and sloppy that NBA players would routinely comment on the record about their concerns about how the team played.
You can't put that blame at Green's feet as a 20-year-old. That's a systemic failure.
But his struggles this year have created a sense of transition with how the Rockets view their future and what it means for Green's career.
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported this week what's been heard in league circles for some time: The Rockets explored including Jalen Green in trade talks. Discussions with the Nets were focused around Mikal Bridges, and it's important to distinguish between what the Rockets did and "shopping" Green.
Including a player in trade discussions is not the same as actively looking not to have him on the roster. The Rockets explored moving Green for Bridges, who the Nets and other teams view as a 1A/1B level star.
Green has struggled this season despite lower usage and a more defined role. Of the 103 players with at least 250 jump shots this season, Green ranks 11th worst in effective field goal percentage. He ranks average or worse on jump shots, catch-and-shoot opportunities and at-rim attempts, per Synergy Sports.
What makes this all the more regrettable is that Green has genuinely tried to fit in. He freelances out of possessions less and has worked on the defensive end. He's also played much better over the last 10 games, averaging 22 points, though still shooting just 28% from 3-point range over that span.
His shooting is a fundamental obstacle to the best way he can contribute. Green is 55th percentile in pick-and-roll scoring and 53rd percentile in isolation. Those aren't great numbers, especially with lower usage, but they are some of his few bright spots. But at its core, he's a 32% 3-point shooter when scoring is considered his major skill set.
It's highly unlikely that Green will be traded before Thursday's deadline, but just the discussion means fascinating things for Houston's offseason as it looks to vault into playoff contention.
NBA teams are either driven by coaches or superstar players. In the absence of such a star in Houston (at least until Şengün arrives at an MVP level, should he ever), that falls to Udoka. It'll be up to Udoka to ultimately decide if the Rockets' future includes Green.
