Annual salary of 20 million! Can the Rockets build projection-type double towers? It has both three-pointers and basket protection, not inferior to the old double towers

The Rockets can be said to be one of the four strongest teams in the league in the regular season. After all, the ranking of second place in the West is not easy to get. The Rockets used their strong strength to win 52 games in the regular season in one go, and then entered the playoffs as second in the West.

Unfortunately, in the playoffs, the time to truly test the Rockets' strength has come. The Rockets failed to withstand the Warriors' bombing. Although the Rockets had a great advantage in the interior and were not at a disadvantage in the defensive end and confrontation, the Rockets were helpless in the most important offense. Shin Kyung averaged 21 points per game, and he could indeed perform normally in the interior, but other players such as Jaylen Green, Smith Jr., Ethan, etc., were not as good as those in the regular season.

So for the Rockets, chasing a star player who can score has become the main task of this summer's offseason. But Rockets management seems to have been hinting that they may not make big deals this summer, nor will they chase a superstar. Because if the Rockets want to chase Antetokounmpo from the Bucks or Durant from the Suns, they will definitely give a lot of bargaining chips, and it is normal for half of the team to be broken up.

If this happens, the Rockets might as well retain their existing lineup and develop their potential within the team, especially their offensive potential, and the Rockets' strong defensive ability, there is still a chance to make a comeback next season.

Because the Rockets' young players have grown up for another year next season, if they meet the Warriors again, then the Warriors' veterans Curry and Jimmy Butler are older. In contrast, the Rockets' strength is in an upward period, while the Warriors are in a downward period, so the Rockets can completely use their advantages to try for another year. In fact, in addition to allowing Jaylen Green to perform better in the playoffs, the Rockets also need to reuse some young players in the new season. The Rockets management has promised to give young players like Shepard and Whitmore more opportunities to play next season, so that they can take the lead.

In addition, some of the Rockets' relatively easy-to-use tactics also need to be retained. For example, the Rockets' double towers this season - Shin Kyung and Adams, played outstanding performances in the playoffs. In fact, the Rockets can also create a relatively alternative double tower lineup, that is, a projected double tower that can open up space. Because as we all know, Shin Kyung's three-point shooting percentage is poor and his mid-range shooting ability is quite weak; veteran center Adams can protect the basket, but his shooting ability is even worse. The Rockets' two interior towers, Jabarry Smith Jr. and Langdale, have very strong three-point shooting ability. In the regular season, Smith Jr. averaged 12 points, 7 rebounds and 1 assist, and his three-point shooting percentage reached 35.4%, which is already a very impressive data for an inside player. In the playoffs, Smith Jr. increased his three-point shooting percentage to 45.5%. It can be said that Smith Jr. is one of the Rockets' most stable inside players to shoot. Langdale doesn't seem to have many opportunities in the playoffs, but in the regular season, he averaged 4.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1 assist in 12 minutes per game, and his three-point shooting percentage is as high as 42.3%. He is also the Rockets' most underrated three-point shooter.

So, the two big men can defend in the interior and not lack mobility. More importantly, the two inside players can open up space, which can not only open up space for the defenders who break through the outside line for them to break through at will, but also open up space for the other big man when cooperating with the big man. Moreover, Langdale and Smith Jr. can also play together at the same time, using three-point shooting to continuously mobilize the opponent's inside line, making them exhausted on the defensive end. In this way, outside players will have more opportunities to break through the inside line.

And next season, Smith and Landale's annual salary will be about 20 million yuan. They both have three points and a basket protection, and their role on the court does not seem to be inferior to that of Old Shuangta Adams and Shin Kyung.