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NBA analyst gives blunt take on Green's future with Rockets
Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

NBA analyst gives blunt take on Jalen Green's future with Rockets

After a dominant regular season campaign that landed them in second place in the Western Conference, the Houston Rockets are on the brink of elimination. Following another shaky performance against the Golden State Warriors, one analyst feels Jalen Green could be on the move in the coming months. 

When the Rockets drafted Green No. 2 overall in 2021, they hoped the dynamic guard could be a pillar for the franchise. He's proven to be a 20-plus point-per-game scorer in the regular season, but the playoffs have been a much different story. 

Through the first four games of the series, the Warriors have had Green's number. He erupted for 38 points in Game 2, but it's been the only time he's broken double-digits. 

In a pivotal Game 4, Green struggled again offensively. He finished with just eight points on 3-for-8 shooting in Monday's 109-106 loss. 

Following this lackluster showing, Stephen A. Smith sounded off on Green on Tuesday's episode of "First Take." As he continues to come up short, he feels the young guard could be traded amid his postseason struggles. 

"You're supposed to be relying Jalen Green," Smith said. "He's going to get himself traded out of Houston." 

All season long, the Rockets have been linked to high-level players. With their core ready to take the next step, they're a team likely to be aggressive, no matter how things unfold in the playoffs. Based on how he's looked against Golden State, Green very well could be part of a trade package to secure a win-now upgrade.

When it comes to Green's game, his scoring is how he impacts the game the most. If he can't get himself going offensively, there isn't much justification to leave him on the floor, especially in a competitive postseason series.

Now down 3-1 to the Warriors, the Rockets don't have much time to turn things around. If the former lottery pick can't return to form quickly, the front office might have to have some tough conversations this summer. 

Kevin McCormick

Kevin McCormick is a basketball writer for Yardbarker with years of experience in the journalism field. Based out of Philadelphia, he graduated from Holy Family University with a degree in Sports Management in 2019. Since then, Kevin has gone on to build a career in sports writing

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