Will the upgraded Rockets fail if they don t win the championship?

For the Rockets last season, when facing opponents with stronger offensive firepower and more experience, they were likely to pay the price due to unstable offense and lack of superstars. However, after the off-season, they not only made up for the gap, but also completely further amplified their advantage.

For such a lineup, the goal for the new season seems to be difficult to satisfy except the championship.

Or, that's how it should be...

The key to the Rockets' progress to second place in the Western Conference last season lies in their forward resources and stable defensive system. In the offseason, they had no intention of giving up this advantage. They first signed defensive forward Finney Smith in the free market to further strengthen the depth of the rotation. Then they defended Smith's bottom line in the Durant trade case, making up for the big problem of lack of stable peripheral ball-holding points at critical moments.

For this reason, the Rockets decided to advance their reconstruction plan to the next stage and officially enter the championship ranks.

Regarding Adu, many media regard him as the strongest mercenary. The reason is very simple. Adu is one of the few top scorers in modern times who can be both a threat with and without the ball. Even for the Suns last season, his mid-range jump shot was still an unsolvable singles weapon, with a hit rate of nearly 60%, reaching the third highest level in his career. Coupled with many years of playoff experience, there is no need to use data to prove his scoring value.

It is no exaggeration to say that from the moment Adu put on the Rockets jersey, the main line of this team was destined to revolve around this superstar.

In addition, the team traded Whitmore, whose offensive style was different from Uduka's system, to the Wizards in exchange for some draft pick assets lost in the Adu trade as a strategic reinforcement. However, when everything was in place, news came out that point guard Van Jordan was out for the season, laying a fuse that was difficult to ignore for this team that originally aspired to hit higher goals.

After Fan Jordan fell, the biggest loss was the back line. Amen's progress last season was the Rockets' biggest surprise. With his outstanding forward stature and athletic talent, he is capable of almost all offensive and defensive tasks except shooting. He even played the point guard role for a short time last season.

It is this comprehensiveness that allows the Rockets to boldly make a deal for Jaylen Green.

But another new backcourt rookie, Sheppard, was not accustomed to the environment in his rookie season. Confrontation was not enough for him to adapt to the intensity of the NBA, and it also affected his shooting confidence. Although he gradually regained his form after being transferred to the Development League, judging from the Summer League and the start of the season, it seems that it is not enough to prove that he can shoulder the heavy responsibility of ball control.

If the time after Van Jordan's reimbursement is completely given to Sheppard, it will still be a risky bet for the Rockets. But even if Van Jordan is not injured, the depth of the backcourt rotation is one of the Rockets' hidden dangers this season.

The main reason is that in Uduka's half-court offensive system, most tactics start with the pick-and-roll or hand-to-hand offense of Fan Jordan and Shen Jing. However, other defenders in the Rockets currently do not seem to be qualified for such a role arrangement.

At this stage, without Van Jordan, the three players in the team who can handle the ball have their own shortcomings:

Aaron Holiday is limited by his size and defense and can only be used as a rotation substitute;

Shepard lacks high-level competition and actual combat experience.

Although Amen is comprehensive, his outside shooting is unstable and it is difficult to become the starting point of the half-court offense;

As for the supplementary Okogie, even the offense is not stable, and there is a high probability that he will only be the defensive connection point of the third team. It is basically impossible for him to hold the ball.

The more stringent reality is that the current salary structure of the team has almost been locked, and it is difficult to make reinforcements unless it is through transactions. At present, the players with trade value in the team are almost all core rotations in the long-term plan; if they rush to dispose of assets for this season, it may not be a suitable choice.

Referring to Uduka's speech at the media day, he will still prefer the existing lineup to spend the early part of the season, and wait until the lineup is stable in the middle of the season before deciding whether to strengthen the point guard candidate.

In addition to the defenders, let’s take a look at the team’s frontcourt strength.

With the original wing lineup basically remaining the same as last season, the Rockets added two forwards who can attack and defend in Adu and Finney Smith, and welcomed back the old player Capela inside. Regardless of the final result, this wave of reinforcements can be regarded as an upgrade.

Referring to the second half of last season, Uduka also experimentally put Smith Jr., Shen Jing, and Adams on the field at the same time to form a rare three-tower lineup. This configuration not only stabilizes defense and rebounds, but also allows the three senior players to perform their respective duties: Shen Jing is responsible for high-post support, Adams guards the low post, and Smith Jr. can pull in outside shots.

In the offseason, Adu, who has outside ability, and Capela, who has the ability to eat pie, were added. This frontcourt rotation system not only maintains its original functions, but also becomes more flexible and has more room for change.

But...it can't be changed.

Affected by Van Jordan's injury, the original main offensive starting style will inevitably need to be adjusted, and how Uduka will respond remains to be seen in the long term.

Currently, the team's backcourt uncertainty is high. If you refer to his past coaching experience with the Green Army, it is likely to increase Adu's ball-holding ratio. Last season, the Rockets ranked third in the league in assists per game at 23.2, which still shows many of Uduka's characteristics. He is still more accustomed to letting players perform singles. But for the 37-year-old Adu, such use will inevitably increase the game load and the risk of injury.

As for Smith Jr., I personally think that Uduka is unlikely to have room for trial and error to forcibly develop his ball-holding ability in the current championship stage. It is better to let him continue to focus on peripheral shooting and defensive filling positioning..

Then there is Shen Jing. This center has shown excellent organizational skills, but if the Rockets put all the offensive organization burden on him alone, they will inevitably be targeted. In a rhythm system that emphasizes conversion and counterattack, the Rockets still need a backcourt initiator who can advance with the ball and launch counterattacks. There is currently no definite answer to this point.

Judging from the start of the season, Shen Jing has indeed taken on more organizational responsibility to a certain extent, and Adu's more stable offensive efficiency than Green has indeed helped the team's offensive end, preventing it from falling into the quagmire of being unable to defend and unable to attack again.

Obviously, Uduka is still trying to avoid overburdening Adu, so he only gives him the finishing task in the final stage. Even if his dominance is not as good as the peak, his overall strength is still online. As long as he can maintain his endurance, in the half-court battle, the Rockets' starting team is still among the top ranks of the league.

As for the substitute striker situation, there should be no need to worry too much. Although Tali Eason's status is up and down, he is young after all. As long as he stays healthy, he will still be a stable rotation for the Rockets' front line. In terms of defense and game experience, there are also Finney Smith and Jeff Green, and there is also Jaseon Tate in the third tier. Such a depth of rotation is quite luxurious when looking at the league.

To put it simply, the Rockets have enough manpower in the frontcourt and diverse enough functions. As long as they can prove that they can maintain their offensive level even when the backcourt engine is unstable, they will definitely be a strong enemy that no team in the Western Conference wants to face.

Looking forward to the new season, they already won second place in the Western Conference last year, which is enough to prove that these young players are transforming into a stable fighting force. The addition of Adu in the new season has completed the last piece of the puzzle. What's even more commendable is that the management has not been complacent due to short-term success. During the offseason, it is still actively replenishing its immediate combat capabilities through the free market and further strengthening the depth of the lineup.

According to the current frontcourt configuration of the Rockets, they are fully equipped to compete head-on with teams such as the Thunder and Nuggets.

And there is only one goal for the new season: NBA championship.