It was announced earlier this week that the Houston Rockets had made free agency signing. After already acquiring Kevin Durant, Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela, the Rockets signed free agent shooting guard Josh Okogie, most recently of the Charlotte Hornets, a player noted for his defensive abilities.
Last season, Okogie averaged 7.1 points and 2.8 rebounds per game split between the Hornets and the Phoenix Suns. Importantly, he shot a career-best 34.8% from three-point range, hopefully shoring up the major weakness of his game (albeit in a limited 92-shot sample size). The three-and-D profile is the coveted one among non-star wing players in the NBA today, and with his length, foot speed, reads, recovery efforts and plays on the ball, Okogie is a plus NBA defender who keeps landing work accordingly, even without the shot.
It therefore makes sense that he would be targeted by the Rockets, who with their work this summer have put together a fearsome defensive unit.
Rockets’ Strength In Depth
In addition to the additions, the Rockets also made key retentions. Interior defensive stalwart Steven Adams bypassed free agency altogether in signing an extension just before the moratorium began, while Jabari Smith Jr was tied down to a $122 million extension early in free agency that might save the team $122 million more, if Smith breaks out in the future.
Although noted wing defender Dillon Brooks was moved to the Suns in the Durant deal, the arrivals of Finney-Smith and Okogie will offset that loss, while Jae’Sean Tate and Aaron Holiday were also retained as solid end-of-the-bench veteran pieces. And at the head of the snake, noted scrapper Fred VanVleet was also retained – with the added benefit of a giant pay cut.
Between VanVleet, Adams, Capela, Smith, Amen Thompson, Tate, Finney-Smith, Okogie, Tari Eason and Alperen Sengun, the Rockets will always have at least three quality defensive players on the court, and often five. Even Durant, diminished mobility notwithstanding, is no slouch, and despite a bad rookie season, 2024 first-round pick Reed Sheppard is expected to shine on this end in the future. The four-big rotation of Sengun, Smith, Adams and Capela will contest and clear everything on the inside, while Thompson has already made All-NBA Defensive First Team waves as early as his second season.
With Size To Boot
In addition to how good of a defensive roster they have, it should also be noted just how big the Rockets are.
Aside from VanVleet, they have size at every position, and can run versatile front court units with four-sized guys playing the three. And at the crux of that versatility is Thompson, a highly skilled talent both physically and with the ball in his hands who may perhaps able to take on more of a point-forward role next year .
Around every defender with length will come another; through every slither of space will come a meaningful contest – any previous shortage of rim protection has been addressed with Capela, and, it is hoped, Durant. The Rockets showed significant defensive improvements last season, their first under Ime Udoka, and they have only strengthened their personnel on that end this offseason.
Although not as widely cited any longer, one of the earliest analytics principles to take hold in NBA roster construction was that of the “Four Factors”. In keeping the turnovers low, leading the league in offensive rebounding, being almost as good on the defensive glass, and preventing easy baskets, the Rockets were ticking most of those boxes. Adding Durant on the offensive end gives them the premium isolation scorer they needed to take the next step – but because of their other additions, including Okogie, the defense should not suffer in the process. Indeed, it may be even better.
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