Jabari Smith Jr. is spending the offseason working on the part of his game that could change everything for the Rockets: his handle.
Training clips have shown Smith sharpening his ball-handling, a development that fits the bigger picture for Houston’s young core. He’s already established himself as a reliable shooter and defender, but if he can add more self-creation, the Rockets’ ceiling rises with him.
Since going No. 3 overall in 2022, Smith has grown into a steady starter on a team that expects to contend. He’s carved out a strong role by using his size to disrupt opponents defensively and by turning his outside shot into a dependable weapon. That kind of growth has made him an important piece, but it may not be the final version of his game.
There’s still room for his shot to climb even higher next season, especially with the arrival of Chip Engelland, whose presence could help the Rockets across the board. Still, the bigger leap for Smith likely comes from creating more offense on his own. Last season, almost 80% of his made field goals were assisted, a striking number no matter how you slice it.
That’s where the handle matters. Better dribbling would give Smith more ways to get into the lane, generate his own looks, and add another layer to his scoring.
It would also matter most when the games tighten up. In Houston’s first-round exit last season, Smith had trouble finding consistent offense unless he was knocking down kickout threes.
The Rockets aren’t going to pin that loss on him alone. They still had two other All-Star-level talents in the starting group, but Kevin Durant missed most of the playoffs with an injury, which wasn’t exactly a surprise at his age, and Alperen Sengun was often forced to carry the offense in a way that asked too much of him.
Against the Lakers, Houston needed more players willing and able to take pressure off Sengun by creating shots. If Smith can become a more dependable isolation scorer before next season, that would give the Rockets another source of offense when the play breaks down. Since neither Sengun nor Durant are natural playmakers, the team needs other guys who can go get a bucket when the moment demands it.
Smith isn’t the only young Rocket working on a leap. Reed Sheppard is targeting physical strength, Amen Thompson is working on his jumpshot, and Smith’s focus is on his handles.
For Houston, any one of those improvements could matter. For Smith, the blueprint is clear now - the next step is turning that offseason work into production when the games start again.
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