29. Houston Rockets
Key Additions: Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, TyTy Washington, Trey Burke
After looking feisty through parts of the season, the Rockets limped to the end of the regular season on a 6-30 skid. Houston hopes another year of experience for its young stars plus the addition of a gifted scorer in rookie Jabari Smith Jr. will help get them back on track. This team making a playoff run in a deep Western Conference seems like a stretch in 2023.
Building chemistry with its young core is a feat far more manageable. How Smith Jr. fits next to Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. is of the utmost importance. In all likelihood, the Rockets will be adding another top-5 pick to this group next year.
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