The Rockets Could See Their Best Offense In Years

The Houston Rockets are moving into next season with plenty of offensive expectations despite the injury to Fred VanVleet. General manager Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka have created a roster of players who can contribute to winning at a high level. The defense is likely to be just as strong as usual, but the questions on offense may already have answers on the team.

The Rockets will have to lean more into the playmaking abilities of Alperen Sengun, who has proven he can be the central hub of elite offense.

Sengun's run in the EuroBasket showed his abilities as a team's best offensive player for a highly competitive team. The Rockets are hoping he taps into his abilities as an offensive initiator for the team as they deal with the absence of VanVleet.

He'll receive support from Amen Thompson and Kevin Durant, two players who will also have the ball in their hands during a significant portion of the franchise.

Thompson has been training all offseason for the increased responsibilities he will likely have next season.

He has the most athleticism on the squad and likely the best opportunity to beat his defender off the dribble. Creating pressure at the rim is the best way to create open shots on the perimeter for shooters like Jabari Smith Jr., Dorian Finney-Smith, and Durant.

Durant has slightly different responsibilities with the ball in his hands.

He is most effective as a pure scorer, using his dribble moves to find open spots on the floor. His scoring gravity helps open spaces on the floor for his teammates as well, and he is a capable passer when his teammates are open.

However, he hasn't been as effective blowing by defenders, opting to shoot over them with his unguardable length and high release point. He is still an effective scorer who can provide significant pressure on a defense and help the rest of the team score efficiently.

The Rockets will still be able to depend on points in transition and offensive rebounding to supplement whatever offensive limitations they experience due to VanVleet's injury. While Houston will have a go-to scorer in critical moments, the team will still be relying on team offense to maintain its scoring pressure throughout the season.

The current roster is set to be able to create offense effectively; however, the team won't be able to survive any more injuries or drops in production from its top players if the Rockets hope to have their best offense in years.