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Inside The Rockets

Rocket Players Have Been Working out Together for Most of the Offseason

Houston Rockets have been working out together throughout the summer.
Lachard Binkley|
Mar 25, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) is congratulated by Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) during a timeout against the Portland Trail Blazers during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images
Mar 25, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) is congratulated by Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) during a timeout against the Portland Trail Blazers during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

After the 2023-24 season, every Houston Rocket had one goal for the next season: to make the playoffs for the first time since 2020. For that to happen, the Rockets must continue building team chemistry and collectively improving.

During the NBA offseason, you usually see footage of individual players working out in the gym or working on their own game. We also saw this with the Rockets, where players like Fred VanVleet and Alperen Sengun posted their workouts on social media. We have also seen an increase in the team working out together.

Throughout the offseason, Rocket players worked out together in the gym and on the court. Jalen Green hosted a players-only mini-camp in July, during which multiple players showed up and scrimmaged together.

Alperen Sengun, Cam Whitmore, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith, and Rockets 2024 first-round pick Reed Sheppard were all in attendance. Green's organization of the event shows he is taking an even more leadership role going into the new season.

The camp also helps team chemistry on and off the court. We saw a video of Green treating his teammates to new watches in Los Angeles.

We have also gotten multiple posts from the Houston Rockets showing players working out at the new training facility.

Rafael Stone spoke to the media during Wednesday's visit to the Houston Emergency Center. During the interview, Stone spoke about the new training facility and how up to 15 players have been working out together the past week.

Remember that there are no mandatory practices as we are still in September. Training camp doesn't start until the first week of October, but it is an excellent sign that most of the roster is already working out together.

Players are taking the initiative to plan these workouts, which shows the maturity of this current Rockets team. That is important because, before the 2023-24 season, the Rockets were sometimes the youngest team in the NBA.

Team chemistry on and off the court is always important for any team, but especially a team trying to get to the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. If the Rockets can translate their work in this off-season to the court in the regular season, they may well be on their way to a postseason berth.

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Lachard Binkley
LACHARD BINKLEY

Lachard is a lifelong Houstonian who has followed the Rockets since the 80s. He is a credential reporter covering the Rockets and Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

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