Is Rockets' Jalen Green Primed for Major Leap Next Season?
The Houston Rockets hold high expectations for what Jalen Green will ultimately become when he reaches the peak of his NBA career. His development will hold an important influence on how the team performs in 2022-23.
During Green's rookie campaign, he got off to a slower start but ended up finishing while firing on all cylinders. He finished the season averaging 17.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 67 appearances.
During a conversation with NBA Analysis Network, one league scout discussed Green's rookie campaign and what he could achieve as he develops. There was a noticeable improvement in Green's decision-making and execution late in his rookie season.
“Guys like Jalen usually take a bit to adjust to the NBA. He started slow, and that was sort of expected. He really turned it up around the start of February. You could notice the game slowing down for him a bit.
"His reads were quicker and he was better adjusted to how NBA defensive principles react in different situations. He turned it over a lot less, got to his spots better, and created good looks for teammates.”
There was a noticeable jump in Green's production after the start of February that continued throughout the rest of the season — a span that featured over 30 games.
Green averaged 20.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists with strong efficiency in these 32 games. He did so while shooting 47.4 percent overall and 39.3 percent from beyond the arc and turned it over just 1.7 times per game.
There was a streak from Green where he scored at least 30 points in five consecutive games. It was the first time a rookie had achieved such a feat since Allen Iverson in April 1997.
The scout compared Green's short-term potential to what Victor Oladipo was for the Indiana Pacers before his quad tendon injury. The explosive scoring ability made possibly due to having a quick burst are key to the comparison.
“I think Jalen has excellent potential," the scout said. "He’s already really solid attacking off the catch and impressed me as an iso guy early. Liked how he was attacking out of DHOs in the two-man game with Tate, too. … His burst makes him an incredible option with great spacing and a playmaker in the frontcourt. Early in his career, he could be at the level Oladipo was at pre-injury when he broke out with the Pacers. Lots of explosive scoring potential.”
The scout identified areas that Green would benefit from continuing to improve: pick-and-roll passing reads and finishing, his floater and executing out-of-off-ball actions.
“The next step for Jalen will be to continue to fine-tune his pick-and-roll reads and finishing. It would be nice to see a floater from him as well. … He could get better in how he executes out of off-ball actions, too," the scout explained. "Overall, how he closed the season was very encouraging stuff.”
You can follow Grant Afseth on Twitter at @GrantAfseth.
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