Recently, Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone dropped a bombshell in an interview with the media, bluntly saying that there is no such thing as a so-called "privileged player" within the Rockets. He specifically mentioned that the two core players in the team, Alperen Shenjing and Jalen Green, are not uncles who sit back and enjoy their success, but comrades-in-arms who need to support each other and make progress together. These words are inevitably reminiscent of those stars who often stay alone on the court, and the Rockets' ethos looks like a radical change.
When it comes to the "twin stars" of Alperen Shenjing and Jalen Green, their respective performances are like two flags of the Rockets. Alperen Shenjing was literally the Rockets' ground commander in the first half of the season, averaging 21.1 points and 9.4 rebounds per game that made him nearly an All-Star crown. But as soon as it comes to 2024, this guy seems to have beaten the blood, started to brush the data, and was eager to prove himself, but the show was bad, and the performance on the field was out of order. As for the performance on defense and beyond the three-point line, it was even more eye-catching.
And Jalen Green's situation is a bit more complicated. The lad's performance in March was nothing short of eye-catching, as if he had traveled through the arena of the NCAA Tournament, and the performance of March Madness led the Rockets to 11 straight wins. Unfortunately, this performance did not continue throughout the season, and the average points per game of 19.6 points did not improve much compared to last season, and even declined.
Rafael Stone bluntly pointed out in the interview that he hopes that Alperen Shenjing and Jalen Green can not only make a breakthrough in statistics in the new season, but more importantly, there can be more mutual assistance and tacit understanding on the court. He even used an interesting analogy: "This is not a stage for each of them to perform stand-up comedy, but they need to perform a double reed together and give each other a hand." ”
For the Rockets, the upcoming season will not only be a challenge for the players, but also a test for the entire management. How to build a solid bridge between Alperen Shinjing and Jalen Green so that they can complement each other and support each other on the court will have a direct impact on the success or failure of the team.
At the same time, the contract situation of these two players has also been put on the table. Next season, if they can't be renewed early, they will go into a contract year. It's not just their personal future, it's part of the rocket's future strategy. The management will have to weigh the performances of the two young players to see if they can really complement each other on the pitch and thus determine their future value.
So, now is a very critical moment for the rocket. Not only will the two young stars need to find a better way to work together, but the team as a whole will need to find a new rhythm and a new tactical system for the new season. The Rockets' goal is clear, and that is to build a team where there are no privileged players and everyone can play.
Of course, fans are also looking forward to seeing how Alperen Shinjing and Jalen Green show their true strength in the new season. If they can really achieve chemistry with each other, then the future of rockets is certainly bright. It's not just a matter of two players, it's what the whole of Houston City is looking forward to. Let's wait and see how these two young cores continue their legacy on the NBA stage.