Rockets - and basically no team, will have zero major injuries. Given the Rockets don't have any franchise level superstars - their injury susceptiblity should be the opposite - they have a lot of players that are replaceable by similar players (in terms of outputs, if not style) already on the roster.
Agreed, outside of Sengun. No other big can do what he does but all other positions can afford to take a hit.
Makes me wonder how teams gel that fast over 6 days of training camp.....that is a miracle every year.
Hardy is Udoka's protege. Nick Nurse is too high, didn't do much without Prime Kawhi. Carlisle .... you are either with him or not with him. Kidd is higher due to him storming to the Finals. Mosley was a Top 5 Regular Season Coach for me last year.
I guess these "exercises" help with basketball. Jalen, Tari and Reed practicing for jump rope regionals. Alpi practicing smashing gophers. Jabari training for his new lawn care business and Amen going to be towing cars out of ditches. I approve. Honorable mentions - Tari and Jabari practicing tapping their teammate into the ring after they've been piledrived and someone practicing for advanced hop scotch competition.
On the coaching opinion list. It's a slight hot take, but I think Mazzula could be higher. Would drop Kerr a few spots.
It feels like everyone had a busy summer. We have a very hard working group of young guys, it's highly unusual. Really lucky for us. This team's future is still so underrated.
CBS Top 100 100. Jabari Smith Jr. | Last year's rank: 92 Smith might not have the highest ceiling in Houston's stable of young talent, but he's the most well-rounded player on the team and could be in for another leap this season. A versatile defender with great positional length, Smith's offense is coming around quickly. He pumped up his efficiency last season almost six true-shooting points from his rookie year, and he hit his 3s at a 36% clip. He's becoming more and more confident and capable in creating his own offense, too. -- Brad Botkin 92. Jalen Green | Last year's rank: 89 Green is supremely talented and an unbelievable athlete, even by NBA standards. Whether he can be an efficient or winning player, however, is still in question. His closing stretch last season was as good as he's looked as a pro, and offered evidence that the answer can be yes, on both fronts. The potential dilemma for the Rockets, though, is that Green's best play coincided with Alperen Sengun's absence due to a season-ending knee injury. This feels like a make-or-break season for Green's future in Houston. -- Jack Maloney 57. Fred VanVleet | Last year's rank: 48 VanVleet didn't get as much buzz as big man Alperun Sengun last season, but he might have been the Rockets' biggest difference-maker. Despite having a bunch of other guys who can theoretically initiate, Houston's offense fell off a cliff when VanVleet was on the bench. In his first season with the team, the 30-year-old guard did exactly what he was signed to do. He kept the team organized, forced defenders to account for him deep behind the 3-point line and pestered opponents' ballhandlers at the point of attack. It was also the first time in his eight-year career that he averaged more than eight assists per game. -- James Herbert 47. Alperen Sengun | Last year's rank: 85 A breakout season was cut short for Sengun, but he still did enough to finish third for Most Improved Player. He's often compared to Nikola Jokic, primarily because his court vision and passing echo that of the three-time MVP. But he's his own player, one that Houston should see as a building block for its future. Sengun's strength and finesse around the rim make it difficult to defend him when he catches the ball on the move. He's also a great rebounder and puts teammates in the right spot for easy shots. Statistically speaking, his first three years are on par with what Jokic did, and while he may not be on the perennial MVP trajectory, it's always a positive when you're mentioned in the same company as a future Hall of Famer. -- Jasmyn Wimbish Spoiler 100. Jabari Smith Jr., Houston Rockets 99. Klay Thompson, Dallas Mavericks 98. Kyle Kuzma, Washington Wizards 97. Bogdan Bogdanovic, Atlanta Hawks 96. Lu Dort, Oklahoma City Thunder 95. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Orlando Magic 94. Andrew Nembhard, Indiana Pacers 93. Marcus Smart, Memphis Grizzlies 92. Jalen Green, Houston Rockets 91. Nic Claxton, Brooklyn Nets 90. Dereck Lively, Dallas Mavericks 89. Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings 88. Brook Lopez, Milwaukee Bucks 87. Tyler Herro, Miami Heat 86. Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers 85. Mike Conley, Minnesota Timberwolves 84. RJ Barrett, Toronto Raptors 83. Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors 82. Immanuel Quickley, Toronto Raptors 81. Donte DiVincenzo, New York Knicks 80. Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks 79. Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers 78. Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers 77. Josh Hart, New York Knicks 76. Zach LaVine, Chicago Bulls 75. Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves 74. CJ McCollum, New Orleans Pelicans 73. Isaiah Hartenstein, Oklahoma City Thunder 72. Trey Murphy, New Orleans Pelicans 71. Coby White, Chicago Bulls 70. Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic 69. Bradley Beal, Phoenix Suns 68. Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets 67. Devin Vassell, San Antonio Spurs 66. Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets 65. Alex Caruso, Oklahoma City Thunder 64. Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers 63. Aaron Gordon, Denver Nuggets 62. Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota Timberwolves 61. Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks 60. Herb Jones, New Orleans Pelicans 59. Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers 58. LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets 57. Fred VanVleet, Houston Rockets 56. Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors 55. Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers 54. Julius Randle, New York Knicks 53. Demar Derozan, Sacramento Kings 52. Dejounte Murray, New Orleans Pelicans 51. Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic 50. Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans 49. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons 48. Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers 47. Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets 46. OG Anunoby, New York Knicks 45. Desmond Bane, Memphis Grizzlies 44. James Harden, LA Clippers 43. Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies 42. Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors 41. Mikal Bridges, New York Knicks 40. Kristaps Porzinigis, Boston Celtics 39. Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves 38. Karl Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves 37. Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder 36. Derrick White, Boston Celtics 35. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks 34. Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets 33. Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers 32. Jrue Holiday, Boston Celtics 31. Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz 30. Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder 29. Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic 28. Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings 27. De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento Kings 26. Damian Lillard, Milwaukee Bucks 25. Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks 24. Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers 23. Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat 22. Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat 21. Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans 20. Paul George, Philadelphia 76ers 19. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers 18. Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers 17. Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers 16. Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies 15. Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics 14. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns 13. Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks 12. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs 11. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers 10. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves 9. Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns 8. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers 7. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics 6. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors 5. Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers 4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder 3. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks 2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks 1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets Top 100 by NBA team (Note: Every NBA team has at least one player in our Top 100) Six players: Knicks, Pelicans, Thunder, Timberwolves Five players: Celtics Four players: Bucks, Cavaliers, Grizzlies, Kings, Magic, Mavericks, Nuggets, Pacers, Rockets Three players: 76ers, Hawks, Heat, Lakers, Suns, Raptors, Warriors Two players: Bulls, Clippers, Hornets, Spurs, Trail Blazers One player: Jazz, Nets, Pistons, Wizards
