The Rockets' Shot Distribution Likely to See Changes Next Season

Everything has changed for the Houston Rockets as they try to reconfigure the team after a significant shake-up throughout the roster. Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks are now former Rockets. New arrivals like Kevin Durant and Dorian Finney-Smith are set to play big roles in the offense next season. Brooks and Green's departure leaves nearly 30 shots per game for head coach Ime Udoka to dole out to the remaining players.

Durant will likely take a large chunk of those shots, as he should expect to shoot anywhere from 18 to 20 shots per game next season to fit his norms throughout his career. He's the clear No. 1 scoring option for the team, and the Rockets' best scorer in half-court situations.

The shot distribution after Durant is where there may be more adjustments for the Rockets. Alperen Sengun will likely stay as the team's second-highest shot taker.

Sengun is one of the best offensive players on the team, using his unique isolation scoring abilities to accentuate his intelligent passing. He averaged about 15 shots per game last season, which could see a marginal increase of one or two shots per game.

Amen Thompson is set to take on more responsibility in the offense. He has the tools and IQ to be an effective scorer and passer for Houston. He took just over 10 shots per game last season, but became a more featured piece of the offense in the postseason. He could see his shots increase the most from any returning players.

Jabari Smith Jr. and Dorian Finney-Smith will likely be in the next tier of the Rockets' offense as players who will have offense created for them by others. They each thrive on catching and shooting from deep range to stretch the floor and extend the defense beyond the 3-point line.

A player who could see a major drop in his shot numbers is Fred VanVleet. The Rockets depended on VanVleet in some games to lead the offense and make tough shots to keep Houston in games against other top teams.

However, VanVleet's game is entirely dependent on whether his deep-range shot is falling. He has little to fall back on if he's missing his three-pointers. The Rockets now have several players who are slightly more versatile on offense, so they may not need to rely on VanVleet as much as they have in his first two seasons with the team.

The Rockets will still have a relatively even shooting spread next season, with a few players who take a clear lead as the top options. The offense was a key point this offseason, and the Rockets move into next season with a strong opportunity to take advantage of their deep collection of talent.