Just a mere 90 minutes before tipoff of Houston\u2019s postseason opener against the Los Angeles Lakers, All-Star forward Kevin Durant was ruled out with a right knee contusion. Houston\u2019s season had already been derailed by injuries to veteran guard Fred VanVleet and veteran center Steven Adams. Without the trio of vets, Houston\u2019s young core would be front and center.<\/p>\n
The Rockets started their rebuild project back in 2020 with the trades of star guards Russell Westbrook (Washington) and James Harden (Brooklyn). What ensued was three grueling 60 loss seasons, resulting in three consecutive top four draft picks. Then, in 2023-2024, after hiring head coach Ime Udoka, and signing VanVleet and forward Dillon Brooks, the Rockets shot up to 41-41. A year later, they went 52-30, capturing the second seed in the brutal Western Conference. This year, after trading Jalen Green and Brooks for Durant in the offseason, Houston again went 52-30, despite losing VanVleet and Adams for the season.<\/p>\n
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Green went second overall in 2021. Houston also acquired center Alperen Sengun, the 16th overall pick, in that same draft, via a draft night trade. The following year, Houston drafted forward Jabari Smith Jr. third overall and forward Tari Eason 17th overall (by way of a pick owed from Brooklyn as a result of the Harden trade). The following season, Houston drafted forward Amen Thompson with the fourth overall pick. And then the following season, Houston drafted guard Reed Sheppard with the third overall pick, as a result of a pick received from the Harden trade.<\/p>\n
Green is gone, but Sengun, Smith, Thompson, Sheppard, and Eason now constitute Houston\u2019s young core for the future, the group of players the Rockets hope will be the nucleus of a future contender. In Game 1 on Saturday night, all of those players except for Eason struggled mightily without Durant. Sengun went just 6-for-19; Smith went 5-for-14; Thompson went 7-for-18; and Sheppard went 6-for-20.<\/p>\n
Rockets brass surely hoped that their young nucleus could have handled a heavily depleted Lakers team playing without Luka Doncic and Austin Reeves. Instead, the loss raised questions about how far Houston\u2019s young core has to go. Fortunately for Houston, Durant should return later in the series, and VanVleet and Adams next year.<\/p>\n