The Rockets Must Keep Their Vets Healthy Next Season

Health is a major factor for any team hoping to have a deep postseason run and potentially win a championship. In any sport, it's often the healthiest team that wins when equally talented teams compete. The Houston Rockets have several older players on the squad that they'll try to manage throughout the season. It's crucial to keep those players healthy through timely rest and recovery to keep them fresh for the postseason. Any significant injuries could cause a drastic drop in their contention chances.

The key veteran to keep healthy for the Rockets is Kevin Durant, who is entering the year as the team's best player.

The Houston Rockets will do everything they can to keep Durant rested, but it may be a hard balance as they will need his contributions to compete against some of the league's top teams. He is a force offensively, and the Rockets need his scoring in half-court settings and isolation.

Another impact vet the Rockets will try to keep healthy is Steven Adams, who provided a huge presence for Houston in the playoffs. The double-big lineups featuring Adams and Alperen Sengun were the only lineups that could make things happen against the Golden State Warriors, supplementing subpar offense with offensive rebounding and second-chance points.

The Rockets added Clint Capela for added big man depth to help keep Adams and Sengun rested throughout the season. Capela can do some of what Adams can do in rebounding terms, but he is also a quality pick-and-roll threat.

There are significantly more young wings on the team who could see more consistent action throughout the season. Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, and Jabari Smith Jr. will likely be counted on to play in most of their games this season. However, it's just as vital to keep these players healthy as it is for their veterans.

Dorian Finney-Smith added veteran wing depth to help aid the rest of the young players defensively and with his three-point shooting. Finney-Smith has been counted on to guard other teams' top players as a member of the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers, but he'll have support from his fellow defensive wings to help spread minutes around.

Each of these players missed time last season, and Eason missed nearly the entire prior season due to injury. It's now much more crucial that these players can stay healthy and contribute to the team throughout the season. The Rockets won't be able to contend this season without some fortune regarding health.