Can Jabari Smith Jr. Lose His Starting Role This Season?

After piling up multiple lottery draft picks over years of tanking, the Houston Rockets aren't in as great of a position as many would be expecting. Despite never getting the number one pick, from 2021 to 2024, the lottery balls never fell lower than fourth overall for Rafael Stone. The front office was even lucky enough to get Reed Sheppard in a previous trade with the Brooklyn Nets.

Unfortunately, their highest draft pick from that rebuilding phase was already sent out the door when Jalen Green got traded for Kevin Durant. That's a trade anyone would agree to, but that's also only because Green wasn't a generational talent. He wasn't a superstar, or even on an All-Star trajectory. The same can be said about Jabari Smith Jr., who was drafted third overall in 2022.