Last season, the Rockets ranked second in the Western Conference with 52 wins and 30 losses, and were eliminated from the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. Today ESPN reporter Michael C. Wright wrote an article to analyze the hidden dangers faced by the Rockets next season. The specific content is as follows.

Although Kevin Durant's performance has not declined significantly in recent years, the Rockets' new player will celebrate his 37th birthday in the new season. He has played 62 consecutive games or more in the past two seasons, the first time since the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. The Rockets' style of play is relatively tough, which will test the veteran's endurance.

However, the team has improved in the depth of the outside, with experienced Dorian Finney Smith introduced in the free agent market to replace Dillon Brooks, and the outside lineup also includes Tari Ethan and Jessian Tate. Durant will fill the scoring vacancy left by Jaylen Green (who has been traded to Phoenix) last season's top scorer.

However, there are doubts about whether Van Vreet, Amen Thompson and Reed Shepard can provide stable offensive firepower in the backcourt. Shepard averaged nearly 13 minutes per game in his rookie season and will play a more important role this season. Van Vreet's performance in the playoffs improved, averaging 18.7 points per game and shooting 43.5% from three-pointers, compared to only 34.5% in the regular season.

The Rockets also hope that Amen, the star of tomorrow, can improve his shooting ability in the third season of his career. The stable outside projection that complements Durant's firepower is also a major concern. However, Finney Smith should be helpful in this regard, with his three-point shooting percentage remaining above 39.8% over the past three seasons.