Houston Rockets: What Role Will Jabari Smith Jr. Play Next Season?

The Houston Rockets gave Jabari Smith Jr. a five year, $122 million contract extension on Sunday evening, solidifying him as a long-term piece of the core.

The extension falls in line with other Rockets offseason moves, such as extending head coach Ime Udoka and Steven Adams, along with retaining veterans Aaron Holiday, Jeff Green and Jae'Sean Tate.

There's still other moves to be made, including the potential addition of a 3&D forward, and a young wing on his way out of Houston.

All signs are pointing towards general manager Rafael Stone wanting to surround his big three of Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun with two things – defense, and 3-point shooting. Using this mindset, it's possible that Smith's role next season could be a super-powered version of a 3&D forward – think of a combination between Denver's Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon.

Smith's always had offensive upside, showing flashes of creation with pull-ups, turnarounds and fadeaways alike. But where he may perform most efficiently is through launching catch-and-shoot's at a high volume. In the past two seasons, Smith shot over 37 percent on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers – joining Durant as the only Rockets non-guard to reach those numbers.

Having Smith spacing the court for Durant's isolations, Sengun's rolling and post play and Thompson's cutting is what's likely best for the team in those lineups, and will free up countless open looks for the former No. 3 overall pick.

Given his 6-foot-10 frame, not only can Smith shoot over smaller defenders, but he can effectively slide down from the corner to the dunker spot and make teams pay. A towering Smith waiting for the dump-off from driving Rockets would be another effective use of his skillset.

As for the other side of the ball, Smith fits in with what the Rockets are building defensively – a lineup full of giants. Last season was one of defensive growth for Smith, as for the first time in his career, the Rockets were better defensively with him on the court than without. Opponents scored -6.4 points per 100 possessions and rebounded their misses 5 percent less often when Smith played – proving his worth.

As Durant ages and the undersized VanVleet keeps his heavy workload, Smith's length and activity will be valued with often guarding opposing scoring forwards, perhaps even taking the second options. His mobility from the help-side can also cover up Sengun's rim protection woes, giving the Rockets an alternative for verticality at the rim.

Of course, Smith won't purely be limited to these roles, as he still has an untapped potential with plenty of growing left to do. With Durant as a potential mentor, Smith could improve as the on-ball scorer the Rockets originally envisioned him as. Especially in stretches with Durant off the court, Smith could showcase runs of improvement in that department.

Either way, Smith will likely be put in whatever role most helps the Rockets contend for a championship next season, and in this case, it's as a jumbo 3&D star.