The Rockets' Summer Wish List Includes Health And Improvement

As the summer months grow closer to the start of the regular season, NBA players around the league are working to improve and elevate their games. The Houston Rockets have several players they hope are improving next season, but they have a wish list for all of their players for the start of the regular season and beyond.

Houston's wish list for its young players is solely for them to keep improving in their roles for the team.

Amen Thompson is expected to take a much bigger role next season offensively as a lead ball handler. The Rockets hope Thompson enters next season with better handling, shooting, and playmaking to help lead the offensive attack. His growth is necessary to relieve some of the lead guard duties for Fred VanVleet.

For VanVleet, the Rockets hope he can have a more efficient year from deep range. VanVleet was called on to do much more shot creation last season, taking pull-up threes off the dribble to supplement Houston's offense when it was struggling. As a result, he nearly matched a career low in 3-point percentage. The Rockets are attempting to help VanVleet play off the ball more often to take more efficient threes created by others.

Alperen Sengun is one of the players who will be expected to create for his teammates. The Rockets are hoping he continues his progression as a playmaker and returns to his normal offensive efficiency. He is consistently a capable scorer and rebounder, but he'll need to take the flashes of playmaking expertise and make them a permanent part of his game.

Jabari Smith Jr.'s wish list also has improvement for a skill he currently has. He was one of the team's best shooters from deep last season, but he still hasn't become the elite shooter Houston hoped he would become when he was drafted. A rise in his shooting percentage would be huge for the Rockets.

Tari Eason and Reed Sheppard have similar items on their wish list, as the Rockets hope they both become more dependable members of the rotation.

Eason has struggled with health on occasion throughout his career, and Sheppard hasn't had many opportunities to prove he is a reliable option. These things will both change in an ideal world for Houston.

The Rockets' ideal world also includes a healthy season for star acquisition Kevin Durant. They need him healthy throughout the season, especially at the end of the year. He was brought in to help improve their performance in the postseason, so he must be close to 100 percent when the playoffs come around.

Head Coach Ime Udoka's wish list involves Durant, as he hopes the offense improves from last year with new player additions and growth from returning players. The defense will likely still be elite, so it's the offense that needs to catch up and become elite as well.

The more items the Rockets can scratch off their wish list heading into next season, the more likely they'll reach their expectations. Their ultimate wish is a trip to the Western Conference Finals at a minimum, and a third championship for the franchise at best.