How Should Rockets Fans Remember Jalen Green's Tenure with the Franchise?

Green's time with the Rockets had many ups and downs. On the surface, he was elite, taking over as a prominent scorer, averaging 20.1 points across four seasons. He immediately came in and made himself known as a rookie, and continued that sort of production up until now.

However, there were a few concerns about Green leading up to the trade. For one thing, he scored a lot, but did so on questionable efficiency, shooting 42.2% from the field and 34.2% from three in his tenure with the Rockets.

The NBA doesn't need any more pure scorers. Teams will value players who thrive in a specific role rather than those who score the most points. If someone is a pure scorer, they better do it with high efficiency, or else their potential is limited. Green just couldn't seem to shake the poor shooting nights, which led to Houston throwing him in the Durant rather than Thompson or Sengun.

Nevertheless, there were more good moments than bad when looking at Green's time with the organization. He had a few points in each season where he showcased some of the best scoring in the league, including March 2024, where he put up 27.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists across 15 games.

It's unfortunate that Green's final games with the Rockets came in brutal fashion. Houston was playing in its first playoff series since 2020, but in a seven-game elimination against the Golden State Warriors, the 23-year-old averaged just 13.3 points on 37.2% shooting from the field and 29.5% from three.

While the ending to his time in Houston was sour, fans will always appreciate what Green did for the franchise. He, along with Sengun, laid the foundation for success in 2021, breaking onto the scene as one of the league's best young duos. Green was also a major piece in the Rockets' 2024-25 season, going from an up-and-coming team to an elite core in the playoffs.

Perhaps Green will find green pastures in Phoenix, but for now, the trade was necessary. The young core wasn't going to stay together forever, and we can only appreciate that the youngster from California made such an impact in Texas and helped bring the organization back to NBA relevance.