The Houston Rockets made some big moves throughout their rebuild, but not all of them worked out perfectly.
Over the past few seasons, the Rockets have made one of the biggest transformations of any team in the league. After having one of the worst records in the league for three straight years, the Rockets steadily ascended in the Western Conference, making their first playoff appearance in five years last season.
However, that trip to the postseason ended poorly, with Houston falling to the Golden State Warriors in seven games in the first round. After failing as a No. 2 seed in the West, the Rockets made a blockbuster deal to add Kevin Durant this offseason.
In doing so, the Rockets also got off one of the players who might have been holding them back. In a recent Bleacher Report article, Dan Favale named Jalen Green one of the five most overrated players of the 2020s.
Considering Green has often been inefficient and inconsistent in Houston, his value as the centerpiece of a Durant trade might just prove how overrated he is. While he averaged 21 points last season and hasn’t missed a game in over two years, Green’s impact on winning is still questionable at best.
As a former No. 2 pick, Green was always bound to still have believers, but his 13.3 points per game in the playoffs proved that Houston needed to cut ties. With the Rockets now in a better spot without Green, they won’t need to worry about his shortcomings anymore.