\u201cHe can\u2019t guard like Jalen Williams, but they\u2019re not\u00a0that\u00a0different as shooters and slashers,\u201d a Western Conference scout (via Chron.com) says of Rockets guard Jalen Green.<\/p>\n
The Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a> are headed to the 2025 NBA Finals, and they wrapped up the 2024-25 regular season with the NBA\u2019s best record.<\/p>\n To say the least, the Western Conference champions are doing a lot of things right. And while Houston (52-30) finished at No. 2 in the West, that was a whopping 16 games back of the Thunder (68-14).<\/p>\n So, the Rockets still have a ways to go to reach the true top tier of NBA title contention. Yet, there are some similarities between the young roster in Houston and that of the Thunder.<\/p>\n Via Michael Shapiro of Chron.com<\/a>:<\/p>\n A lackluster playoff series and inconsistent performances over four seasons have left many questioning Jalen Green\u2019s future in Houston (he\u2019s trade eligible in July after signing a three-year, $106 million contract extension last summer). Some prefer a more patient approach, hoping Ime Udoka\u2019s program can bring out the best in a talented former No. 2 pick.<\/p>\n \u201cHe can\u2019t guard like [Oklahoma City Thunder forward] Jalen Williams, but they\u2019re not\u00a0that\u00a0different as shooters and slashers. They [can play a] similar role,\u201d a Western Conference scout told Chron. \u201cWith [Green], he can\u2019t disappear like he did in so many playoff games. It\u2019s not\u00a0really\u00a0a skills thing.\u201d<\/p>\n The Rockets had a top-five defense all season, so they should be fine on that end of the court, regardless. The questions are on offense<\/a>, where Green was the leading scorer for a Houston team that struggled in halfcourt situations for most of the year.<\/p>\n Relative to the Oklahoma City model, the Green-Williams analogy falls apart here, as the teams are currently constructed. Williams is the clear No. 2 option for the Thunder behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA\u2019s leading scorer and Most Valuable Player (MVP). That hierarchy can lead to Williams, a 2025 All-Star, being able to selectively choose his spots \u2014 and often from advantaged situations due to the attention drawn by Gilgeous-Alexander. That typically leads to greater efficiency.<\/p>\n In theory, it\u2019s plausible that Green could perform comparably in a similar role. But the question becomes who the top-scoring option in Houston would otherwise be. After all, there\u2019s nothing close to an \u201cSGA\u201d on the current roster.<\/p>\n Perhaps there\u2019s another leap to be had from Amen Thompson or All-Star center Alperen Sengun. Maybe second-year guard Reed Sheppard emerges onto the scene. Or maybe, as Shapiro speculates, an offseason trade for a superstar (Giannis Antetokounmpo, anyone?<\/a>) pushes everyone down a peg in the hierarchy.<\/p>\n Should any of those things happen, it\u2019s possible that Green could be viewed in a different light, if he\u2019s asked to take on a different role in the 2025-26 season.<\/p>\n But as things stand today, that\u2019s a significant if.<\/p>\n