The Houston Rockets Continue to Build Chemistry During the Offseason

The Houston Rockets knew it was time to close the book on their rebuilding phase after they finished 22-60 in the 2022-23 season. The Rockets had set a plan in motion after James Harden was traded to the Brooklyn Nets at the beginning of 2021.

Phase two of the Rockets' plan post-Harden was becoming a competitive team. The Rockets started that plan by not renewing Stephen Silas' contract and hiring former Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka. That shifted the team to a more disciplined, hard-nosed style of play from the moment Udoka stepped into the building.

Another focus of Udoka and his coaching staff was building team chemistry during the offseason. The NBA has rules in place that limit the amount of time teams can spend working out together during the offseason. Teams cannot require players to attend offseason workouts, except for mini-camp, which is a brief period during the summer.

However, players can work out together, and coaches can assist with those workouts if they are voluntary. Last offseason, we saw several Rockets coaches fly to Turkey to help with Alperen Sengun's training. Jalen Green also hosted a team event in California, where several of his teammates attended to participate in workouts and scrimmages.

Throughout the offseason, we saw different Rockets players posting workouts with teammates around the world. That chemistry building played a big part in the Rockets' success this past season as it showed the dedication needed to become a good team.

After the Rockets' first-round loss to the Golden State Warriors, Udoka spoke about the plans for this offseason, specifically regarding Sengun.

“That’s a huge thing for me and my coaching staff is spending the time and getting guys to another level," Udoka said.