The Rockets' Rebounding Set to Dominate Next Season

The Houston Rockets are reportedly bringing back veteran big man Steven Adams on a three-year deal to help bolster the team's rebounding and toughness. Adams is the perfect locker room leader and paint bully in games. He is a key member of a rotation that brought down a league-leading rebound rate this season.

Bringing Adams back was a vital part of this offseason as the front office fine-tunes the team in preparation for what they hope is another postseason run next year. If the Rockets are playing in next year's playoffs, rebounding will be a major reason.

The Rockets proved this season that they can own the glass against any team in the NBA. Adams isn't the only elite rebounder on the squad that helped them achieve their league-leading mark.

Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and Amen Thompson are all capable of bringing down double-digit rebounds in any game. Sengun consistently works to position himself in the post, utilizing his strength to secure offensive rebounds and help bolster Houston's offensive attack. Eason is another elite offensive rebounder, flying in to crash the boards around opposing rebounders.

Smith Jr. and Thompson have the unique combination of size and mobility to chase after boards and beat opponents to the ball.

Rebounding is a crucial part of Houston's success moving forward. The front office will likely make a few more moves before the offseason is over, but rebounding will still be a key until the team addresses the lack of deep-range shooting.

The Rockets don't have many knock-down, elite shooters on the team. Dillon Brooks was Houston's most efficient shooter last season, but he wasn't one of the league's most efficient shooters. The Rockets may not be able to rely solely on internal development to improve their shooting success from beyond the arc.

The best way to stay in games without elite shooters on the squad is by snagging offensive rebounds. Misses aren't as devastating when the offense can get another chance after a rebound. Teams also create more wide-open three-point shots after an offensive rebound.

While Houston's move to resign Adams is just a small part of what will likely be a long offseason, it reinforces their philosophy to be tougher than opponents, and to beat them to every rebound.