Houston Rockets’ Projected Lineup for the 2024-25 Season

VanVleet is coming off of a season where he averaged a career-high in assists at 8.1. The 6-foot point guard looks to pair his impressive play with a locker-room presence. The bottom line is that VanVleet knows how to win. He was a pivotal player in the Toronto Raptors' 2019 championship run, and has since emerged as an All-Star caliber player.

SG: Jalen Green:

Green's inconsistencies throughout his first few seasons have held him back from becoming an All-Star, and as he enters year four, the high-flying wing will look to build off of the end of last season, when he averaged 24.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 20 games. Green still has a lot of promise, but he'll have to improve quickly, as Houston was close to trading him at last season's deadline.

SF: Dillon Brooks

One of the league's biggest enforcers returns after somewhat of a career revival. Brooks had questions surrounding his career after the 2022-23 season, but made himself known in his first season with the Rockets. The defensive veteran will look to once again fit into a 3&D role, agitating some of the NBA's best players.

PF: Jabari Smith Jr.

Smith Jr. has had an interesting career thus far. Drafted No. 3 overall in 2022, at the time he was expected to be a franchise player. Of course, he still can be, but Smith has fit into a role, playing behind VanVleet, Green, and others. His three-point shot has improved over the past two seasons, and he is a great paint presence at 6-foot-11. Expect more of the same as last year from the Auburn product.

C: Alperen Sengun

The star in Houston, Sengun nearly made the All-Star Game last season averaging 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.2 steals. Sengun is the face of the Rockets right now, and will look to get even better with experience going into year four. After an ankle sprain that kept him out at the end of the 2023-24 season, Sengun comes into this season with the potential to have an All-NBA caliber season, leading Houston to the postseason.

Next Five: Reed Sheppard, Amen Thompson, Steven Adams, Cam Whitmore, Tari Eason

Sheppard or Thompson will likely be the sixth man off the bench, as both of them have cases to be a starter. In fact, the next five could be a starting lineup of its own, with promising scorers, defensive weapons, and an elite veteran in Adams. All five of these players could receive good time in Ime Udoka's system, however, there are only 48 minutes in an NBA game, so handouts will be slim. The bench will have to earn their minutes, but this roster going that deep is a great sign.