The Rockets starts with the No. 4 position and there is suspense! Next season, the three tigers compete, Smith and Shin Kyung are more matched

On June 9, we saw a regrettable news: The Rockets were almost impossible to get Antetokounmpo. According to Antetokounmpo himself, he will stay with the Bucks next season and refuse all transaction applications. Although it will be difficult for the Bucks to win the championship next season, Antetokounmpo's determination to "one person, one city" does not seem to have changed - after all, he has won everything he can get here, including the championship ring, two regular season MVPs, All-Stars and the best team first team.

30-year-old Antetokounmpo does not want to change teams and start over. He is the absolute core of the Bucks, and no one can question his status. In Antetokounmpo's opinion, staying with the Bucks is much better than going to other teams, and the overall strength of the Eastern Conference is relatively weak. Even if he leads the team alone, there will be no problem in entering the playoffs next season. If the Bucks perform exceptionally in the playoffs, they can obviously go further. Of course, if the Bucks try to make some trades to exchange for a star player, it is still worth looking forward to next season.

Durant's friend revealed that Durant may eventually go to the Spurs. For the Rockets, this is all bad news, and it also means that no matter whether it is Durant or Antetokounmpo, there is basically little hope of joining the Space City next season. If the Rockets don’t chase stars and use young players they train themselves to switch to, it is actually a pretty good choice - because the Rockets have become the second in the West, and this lineup will be trained for another 1 to 2 years, and the overall performance will not be too bad.

If the Rockets do not chase stars but retain the core lineup of this season, then there will be the only suspense in the starting lineup. Next season, Van Vreet will obviously remain in the team. Jaylen Green will start to fulfill his new contract. Shin Kyung and Dillon Brooks also have contracts. The only starting suspense is who to use at the No. 4 position (power forward position).

It seems that Amen Thompson is the most suitable forward player for the Rockets to start, but in fact, some experts believe that Rockets' Jabbarry Smith Jr. is more suitable for partnering with Shin Kyung - because Smith Jr. is taller, more flexible, and more capable of protecting the basket. Moreover, Amen Thompson's three-point shooting percentage this season is less than 30%, while Smith Jr.'s three-point shooting percentage is as high as 35%.

Although Smith Jr. is not as comprehensive as Amen Thompson, he can open up space for Shin Kyung and supplement and assist in defense for Shin Kyung, which are all things Amen Thompson does not have. Even in comparison of shooting abilities, Smith Jr. is better than Amen Thompson. The Rockets need a power forward who can score, shoot, defend, and has a higher height and mobility. Smith Jr. is theoretically more suitable to be the starting power forward of the Rockets than Amen Thompson.

In addition, the Rockets' Ethan is more comprehensive. Although he does not have particularly eye-catching skills, he can shoot outside, eat cakes and break through inside, and is also a master of rebounding in the frontcourt. This season, Ethan played as a starting power forward, and the Rockets won more than they lost. So, the "three tigers fighting each other" at the No. 4 position. Although Smith Jr. seems to be a perfect match for Shin Kyung, Uduka still has multiple choices on hand. The starting lineup in the power forward position will obviously be selected among the three players next season.

Who performs better is Shin Kyung's partner. However, in theory, Smith is still a perfect match for Shin Kyung, and he can maximize Shin Kyung's offensive ability.