The Houston Rockets’ roster is comprised of a good balance between young guns and established veterans. The Rockets’ rebuild helped land lottery picks for four years consecutively, which is only half the battle.

The other, far more important aspect, is choosing the right players in the draft (or choosing the right star player to package the picks for). Houston’s general manager, Rafael Stone, has proven to excel in this regard — establishing himself as the best GM in the league, as it pertains to adding talent via the draft.

Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun, Tari Eason, Jabari Smith Jr., Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard were all results of the rebuild. Well, sort of.

Eason and Sheppard were acquired with the picks Houston inherited from the Brooklyn Nets in the James Harden trade of 2021.

Houston has already given extensions to Smith and Sengun, and had extended Green one year before moving him for Kevin Durant. That’s a sign that the right players have been added to the fold.

Questions remain about Sheppard, although it’s far too early to write him off, especially after a rookie season that saw him garner a very minor role — to the tune of 12.6 minutes per contest.  

Sengun has already become one of the better centers in the league, while Thompson made the First-Team All-Defense in year two. Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes compiled a power ranking of the league’s best young cores and Houston ranked second.

Hughes provided his reasoning.

“Sengün has already made an All-Star team and totes career averages of 16.0 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists. Though lacking the vertical lift required of traditional rim-protectors, the big man has figured out how to function in the Houston Rockets’ defensive ecosystem. 

Thompson is among the best on-ball stoppers in the league and has a sky-high ceiling. 

If he ever figures out how to shoot, he’ll join Sengün in future All-Star games.

Smith brings even more defensive versatility. He can guard wings in space, protect the rim and, best of all, spread the floor as a true three-point threat.

Sheppard is the wild card. He played sparingly as a rookie, but that had as much to do with the Rockets’ guard depth as anything else.

Thompson may be the only potential superstar in the group, but four of the five players in Houston’s young core were major contributors on a team that won 52 games a year ago.”

The only team ranked ahead of the Rockets is the Oklahoma City Thunder, which is understandable. They just won the championship and have easily one of the best players in the league in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

The entire list is below:

5. Orlando Magic

4. Detroit Pistons

3. San Antonio Spurs

2. Houston Rockets

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

The Spurs haven’t yet made the postseason with their young prospects, but injuries have had alot to do with that. Assuming full health, that could change this season.