Once the James Harden era came to an end for the Houston Rockets, the team hasn’t been the same, as the franchise has struggled to bounce back and become a legitimate force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference once again.
However, the 2023-24 NBA season showed a lot of signs of promise and a potentially bright future ahead of the Rockets, with the team bringing in head coach Ime Udoka to be the new leader on the sideline to help with developing their young talent.
Although the Rockets came just short of making the NBA playoffs with the team finishing with a 41-41 record, Houston definitely turned some heads during the 2023-24 campaign and could be ready to bounce back sooner rather than later.
One of the main reasons for optimism in Houston right now is the accession of Jabari Smith Jr., who recently spoke with Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints about being at the NBA Finals and envisioning himself playing for a title someday.
“It motivates me a lot because this is a big deal. Looking around, looks like something big is about to happen. And it is. It’s the NBA Finals… This is where I see myself. This is where I dream to be. This is where I want to be,” Smith said.
Spoke with Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. ahead of the NBA Finals:
“It motivates me a lot because this is a big deal. Looking around, looks like something big is about to happen. And it is. It’s the NBA Finals… This is where I see myself. This is where I dream to be. This is… pic.twitter.com/GU0vwfWYSW
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) June 7, 2024
With the competition in the West only getting more challenging with teams like the Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Minnesota Timberwolves becoming elite, the Rockets won’t have an easy task ahead of them to become a title contender in the conference.
However, the future looks bright in Houston, with Smith being a major piece of the Rockets’ puzzle.
NEXT: Rockets Veteran Is Expected To Leave The Team This Offseason
