_Editor’s Note: Welcome back to our old friend, Lachard!_
The Houston Rockets Summer League saw their season come to an end Saturday with a 97-86 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in the semifinals. The Rockets made the semifinals after finishing 3-1 in the quarterfinals because of point differential, the second tiebreaker.
Players like Quadir Copeland, Tristen Newton, and the Rockets’ second-round pick Bruce Thornton led the way through the first four games on their way to Saturday’s win-or-go-home game.
The Rockets Summer League team, for the first time in several seasons, didn’t have any players expected to be in the regular rotation to start the season. In past years, the Rockets have had multiple first-round picks, from Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun in 2021 to Reed Sheppard most recently.
That wasn’t the case this season, as Thornton was the Rockets’ only draft pick and was selected in the second round. The Rockets are expected to again compete for a top-four seed this coming season and will be welcoming back Fred VanVleet, who missed all of last season.
They also signed veterans Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic, so there isn’t a lot of room for a second-round guard in the rotation, at least to start the season. The question is, where does that leave Thornton for the upcoming season?
Now that the draft and Summer League are over, Thornton moves on to the next step of his career. Unlike the Rockets’ last several draft picks, Thornton has an uphill battle to get into the regular rotation to start the season.
As mentioned before, the Rockets are expecting to be fully healthy to start the season and have brought in two players who are expected to be part of the rotation throughout the season. Thornton could ride the end of the bench, which isn’t a bad idea for a rookie, but he is more than likely going to start the season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets’ G League affiliate, once it kicks off.
Current Rocket players like Reed Sheppard and Amen Thompson have spent time in the G League. Thompson spent time with the Vipers his rookie season as he recovered from an early-season injury, and Sheppard played a few games with the Vipers to help him adjust to the NBA after struggling to start his first season.
For Thornton, it will be an opportunity to get regular playing time, as he would be the main focus for the Vipers, unlike with the Rockets. That means 30-plus minutes a game, 15-20 shots, and running the offense. All valuable experience for any rookie, especially a second-round selection who otherwise wouldn’t get time with the big squad.
Also helps that the Rockets have one of the best G League teams in the NBA and run the exact offense and defense they use throughout the season. Thornton showed flashes of a player who could be solid in the NBA, and even though he may not start the season with the Rockets, he could play his way into a more prominent spot later in the season as injuries and inconsistent play become factors.
See More:
* [Player Analysis](/player-analysis)
* [Rockets Analysis](/rockets-analysis)