As expected, fourth-year forward Jabari Smith Jr. is returning to the starting lineup for the 2025-26 Houston Rockets.

“For the most part we have four guys penciled in, and we’ll figure out what to with the fifth,” head coach Ime Udoka said earlier in the week.

At Saturday’s training camp practice, Udoka confirmed that Smith is the fourth alongside Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, and Amen Thompson. Durant and Sengun were both All-Stars last season, and the expectation is for Thompson to potentially join that tier in the near future.

With three NBA seasons under his belt, Smith started for approximately his first two-and-a-half seasons before breaking his hand in a practice last January.

From there, Thompson excelled as a starter, and Smith played off the bench in a sixth-man role upon returning in late February.

But the Rockets traded away two starters (Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks) to acquire Durant, and they recently lost another when Fred VanVleet tore the ACL in his right knee.

So, Houston entered camp with two starting lineup spots theoretically up for grabs — and days in, it appears Smith has already done enough to secure one of those. The apparent synergies between Smith and Durant certainly don’t hurt, either.

Now 22 years old, Smith previously earned praise from Udoka for a strong offseason, and he’s young enough to where further bumps in his production are certainly plausible.

In 30.1 minutes per game last season, Smith averaged 12.2 points (43.8% FG, 35.4% on 3-pointers) and 7.0 rebounds while also becoming one of Houston’s most valuable and versatile defenders. The Rockets finished among the NBA’s top-five teams in defensive rating.

With four starting lineup spots locked in, that now leaves three players — guard Reed Sheppard, wing Tari Eason, and center Steven Adams — potentially in play for the final slot alongside Durant, Smith, Thompson, and Sengun.

Veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith could be an option later on, but the team doesn’t expect him to be ready at the start of the regular season due to offseason ankle surgery.

As far as the three options who are currently available, expect Udoka and the Rockets to explore different combinations and stylistic preferences during the upcoming preseason, which begins with Monday’s home exhibition versus the Atlanta Hawks.

Tipoff from Toyota Center is at 7:00 p.m. Central, and the game will be televised regionally on Space City Home Network.

It’s been well established in the past that Jabari Smith Jr. looks up to Kevin Durant, now his teammate with the Houston Rockets.

The two have worked out together in previous offseasons, and both have similar body types as lanky, 6-foot-10 or 6-foot-11 forwards with perimeter shooting ability and considerable defensive versatility.

Granted, Smith’s production in three professional seasons to date is nowhere near that of the 37-year-old Durant, a 15-time NBA All-Star and eventually a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

But, at 22 years old, there is still plenty of time for Smith to get better. And at a bare minimum, there should be something to be gained from having a daily working relationship featuring Durant as a mentor figure.

To that end, after attending Monday’s media day in Houston to kick off training camp, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (on The Hoop Collective podcast) had this to say about the clear synergies between Durant and Smith:

I think they had a previous relationship, but there has definitely been a bonding between Jabari Smith Jr. and Kevin Durant. They’re definitely spending time working together. Durant was very complimentary of Jabari and his work in the offseason.

There has definitely been a connection there, and frankly, they’re looking forward to playing together.

With Fred VanVleet sidelined due to his knee injury, the podcast panel then explored the possibility of Houston starting a massive lineup featuring Amen Thompson at point guard, Smith and Durant on the wings, Alperen Sengun at center, and perhaps Tari Eason, Steven Adams, or Dorian Finney-Smith (injured for the time being) as the fifth piece.

Thompson, at 6-foot-7 and with elite athleticism and leaping ability, would be the smallest player in that group!

The combination of those heights and sizes probably wouldn’t work with the players available to most teams, but the unique blend of length and skill from Durant and Smith makes it at least plausible for the Rockets and head coach Ime Udoka.

From the moment they selected Amen Thompson with the fourth pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets have been ecstatic about his potential.

Inside the organization, from the front office to the coaching staff, there’s been a consistent belief in Amen’s enormous upside, built on his rare combination of size, elite athleticism, defensive instincts, relentless work ethic and inner drive. Even before the draft, I felt confident they would have taken him ahead of Scoot Henderson — a controversial take at the time — and I said that was their view repeatedly. That’s how highly they regarded him.

Houston sees Amen not just as a key piece, but as a foundational cornerstone, the kind of player who could eventually become a top-10 talent in the league.

And it looks like Kevin Durant might be seeing some of the same things that has the Rockets so excited.

The future Hall of Famer raved about Thompson on Media Day, calling him a “do-everything, 6’7 athletic freak of nature” and that the league has never seen the type of athleticism that Amen has brought to the NBA.

Kevin Durant on Amen Thompson: "Amen being just a do-everything, 6'7 athletic just like a freak of nature. I don't think we've ever seen that type of athleticism, the way he uses his athleticism. I don't think we've seen that in our league. To be alongside that, I'm excited for."

— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) September 29, 2025

Keep in mind, this is a former teammate of Russell Westbrook’s, and he’s not the first one to say that very thing. Steven Adams said in January that Amen Thompson was “one of a kind” and that he’s never seen this type of athleticism before.

Steven Adams on Amen Thompson: "One of a kind, bro. I haven't played with anyone like this. His speed is unbelievable. His second jump, first jump, is so quick off the ground. I haven't seen that type of athleticism, to be honest."

Adams played with prime Russell Westbrook and…

Advertisement

— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) January 6, 2025

Durant is now echoing the same sentiment, pointing out the second jump ability. On Thursday, Day 3 of Training Camp, KD elaborated to Chancellor Johnson on what he’s seeing out of Amen Thompson.

“I think he’s just unique,” said Durant. “It’s just different. The separation… his length, how he uses his second jump, off both feet, off one foot — it’s ridiculous. How he can go from taking a spin to just jumping off the ground so fast. His launch pad is just different. And it’s only going to get better.”

At Media Day, Kevin Durant said Amen Thompson was one of the best athletes the league has ever seen.

I asked him what makes him unique compared to others.

Advertisement

Watch KD light up describing just how different Amen is pic.twitter.com/C726hegXur

— Chancellor Johnson (@ChancellorTV) October 2, 2025

There’s no slight toward Russ here — this isn’t personal. The story is simply Amen. He continues to blow away his teammates with his growth, impact and outrageous athleticism. At 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot wingspan, no college background, and already an NBA All-Defensive First Team selection in just his second season, the 22-year-old is showing why Houston has every reason to be thrilled about his future.

Veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith, who signed with Houston as a free agent in July, is very bullish on his fit with the Rockets.

“I love playing with a bunch of people who take pride in guarding guys, and whenever you play Houston, you know it’s going to be a tough game,” Finney-Smith said at Monday’s media day to begin training camp.

“Sometimes the referee can’t call all the fouls, because they’re going to hit you every possession,” he joked. “It’s exciting to be on this side.”

Finney-Smith cited his defensive communication, desire to win, and competitive mentality as key aspects of his game. So, too, is last season’s 3-point shooting percentage of 41.1% — a career-best number.

Unfortunately, Finney-Smith isn’t yet a full participant in training camp. The 32-year-old underwent surgery in June to correct a lingering ankle injury from recent seasons, and head coach Ime Udoka confirmed Wednesday that he isn’t yet cleared for contact.

“No contact, but doing all the shooting and other things, as well as getting treatment during practice,” Udoka said of Finney-Smith’s current status.

When asked if the Rockets expect Finney-Smith to be ready for the Oct. 21 regular-season opener at Oklahoma City, Udoka said “no, probably not.”

Udoka said he does not yet know how long Finney-Smith’s debut will be delayed. The ankle procedure took place in early June, so the Rockets were aware of it when they agreed to sign him on June 30.

In comments at Monday’s media day, the 6-foot-7 forward suggested that it wouldn’t be a lengthy delay.

“Soon,” Finney-Smith said of a potential return timetable. “I’ve been running, so it’s been getting better.”

His ankle injury had reportedly lingered in previous seasons.

“I’m a competitor, I want to play, but sometimes I probably made the injury worse because I don’t like to sit out,” he explained. “You might have to save me from myself, and I wish I’d have somebody to tell me to take it easy, two years ago. But that’s what got me here. Being that hard-nosed guy, sometimes the things that get you where you’re at can also hurt you. So, I’m learning, and sometimes I have to listen to my body.”

Now 32 years old, Finney-Smith averaged 69.9 games per season (at 29.5 minutes per game) over the last seven NBA seasons, and he also played in 40 additional playoff games (at 35.5 minutes) over that span.

That type of mileage appears to have taken a cumulative toll — and while the expectation is for the surgery to resolve the issue, it may require a bit more recovery time over the coming weeks.

For now, any Finney-Smith absence could open up more minutes at Houston’s forward spots for players such as Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, and Jae’Sean Tate.

Besides his versatile defense, Finney-Smith should be missed on offense as a shooter and floor spacer. To this point in their young NBA careers, Smith, Eason, and Tate have yet to have a shooting season even close to Finney-Smith’s 41.1% clip from 3-point range.

DAY 2 of @HoustonRockets training camp

Ime Udoka talks the status of Dorian Finney-Smith & what the team is working on in camp#Rockets open the preseason Monday against the Hawks 🏀 Coverage will begin at 6:30PM on SCHN pic.twitter.com/ImkkO2NrZb

— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) October 1, 2025

HOUSTON — With Fred VanVleet sidelined for most or all of the 2025-26 season due to an ACL tear in his right knee, the Rockets know they will need to entrust Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard with more on-ball responsibilities.

So far, so good.

After Tuesday’s opening practice of training camp, Jabari Smith Jr. described areas in which both young prospects have improved from last season.

Regarding Sheppard, Smith pointed to a maturity bump entering his second NBA season. Among Smith’s comments:

He’s gotten a lot better. The game is slowing down for him. You can just tell, when he’s playing a ball screen and he has the ball in his hands, he just looks more comfortable. Last year, he would look sped up. When people pressured him 94 feet, he would look sped up and shaky, at times. Now, he just looks more under control and more poised.

He just looks older. It’s kind of a natural thing, you’re not supposed to have it all figured it out your rookie year. I know I didn’t. He’s just getting older, stronger, and more mature, and he’s a hard worker. The growth is natural. He’s looking good.

Reed Sheppard, shooter

[image or embed]

— Ben DuBose (@bendubose.bsky.social) September 30, 2025 at 1:52 PM

With Thompson, Smith said the growth is especially apparent in his mid-range shooting. When asked if Thompson is looking more confident as a shooter, Smith said:

One thing Amen does have is confidence. If he’s open, he’s gonna shoot it. That’s one thing he was working on this summer. He has a lot more confidence in it, especially his mid-range coming off pick-and-rolls. It looks a lot better, more fluid. He’s just a lot more comfortable with it.

If he’s making shots, it makes us a totally different team, and it makes him a totally different player. I’m with it, I say let it fly.

Should Thompson be able to hit mid-range shots at a more consistent clip, it could make defenders more hesitant to sag back against him. And once Thompson is respected more as a shooter, that should open up more driving lanes for him to attack the rim and utilize his elite size and athleticism.

Of course, making those types of shots in training camp at the team’s practice complex is different than making them in NBA games and arenas.

The first opportunity for Thompson and Sheppard to show whether the improvements will translate in real games comes in next Monday’s preseason opener versus the Atlanta Hawks.

Tipoff from Toyota Center is at 7:00 p.m. Central, and the game will be televised on Space City Home Network.

Jabari Smith Jr. on Amen Thompson’s shot:

“He has a lot more confidence in it, especially his mid-range coming off of pick-and-rolls. It looks a lot better, a lot more fluid.”

“If he’s making shots, it makes us a totally different team, and him a totally different player.” pic.twitter.com/nkEXEXrwR0

— The Rockets Wire (@TheRocketsWire) September 30, 2025