Rockets' Jabari Smith Jr. Tabbed as Potential Breakout Player

Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone has perfectly illustrated how to properly rebuild. The Rockets have hit on their draft picks, resulting in a roster filled with rising, up-and-comers.

Granted they’ve had some misses – Tyty Washington, Usman Garuba, Josh Christopher, to name a few. But that happens. The draft is a crapshoot.

All told, a roster comprised of Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Reed Sheppard (who is unproven), and Jabari Smith Jr. is a solid, formidable rotation.

And the team was able to flip Jalen Green (and Dillon Brooks) for Kevin Durant. Drafting is only the first step, though.

Player development is just as important, if not more important. And Rockets coach Ime Udoka has aced that, as Sengun morphed into an All-Star and Thompson has already become a First-Team All-Defense selection.

And both players are still scratching the surface of their potential.

But Smith, however, has caught the attention of Yahoo Sports’ Steve Jones, who cited him as a potential breakout player.

“In the preseason we’ve seen a good mindset from Smith. Defensively, he has played with a high level of activity, switching and defending multiple positions.

Defense is the base for the Rockets' success and the more he can grow on that end the better.

Offensively, he’s continued to play with aggression, but it feels like it has more purpose behind it.”

Jones continued.

“If he gets a switch, he's trying to dive in the paint to get deep position.

He's hitting first on his drives instead of solely relying on getting to a fadeaway. He's throwing the ball into the post and setting a post split to get involved in off-ball movement.

It feels like his growth could be flying under the radar, but if he continues to hit the right notes that’s only good news for the Rockets.”

Smith was one of the Rockets’ better performers in their opening round postseason match against the Golden State Warriors, despite coming off the bench. He averaged 7.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 50 percent from the field, 45.4 percent from three (on 3.1 attempts), 80 percent from the foul line, and 64.7 percent effective field goal percentage. All in just 20.4 minutes of action.

That’s good for 13.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per 36 minutes.

Smith has been in and out of the starting lineup under Udoka, for one reason or another. Last season, the success of the double-big lineup was partly to blame for that, as Steven Adams was stellar on the glass (particularly the offensive glass), leading to extra possessions for the Rockets.

Although the double-big lineup will remain a thing, Smith was announced as a starter by Udoka. That, along with his new contract, illustrates the Rockets’ affinity and belief towards him. And with Durant – his longtime idol – in the fold, he could be in line for a breakout year.