24 points in 3 games! The Rockets’ minimum salary locks the rotation? Uduka reused, Stone missed again

In the Rockets, there are some players who earn a minimum salary, but they can still occupy rotation positions in the team. For example, Tate, Jeff Green and Aaron Holiday, these players were all part of the Rockets' rotation last season. Once a core player is injured and absent, they can immediately step in. All three players even entered the starting lineup last season.

Now that Rockets veteran VanVleet is out for the season due to injury, 29-year-old point guard Aaron Holiday has gotten more opportunities. The Rockets defeated the Pelicans the day before. Without Holiday's two-point layup at the last minute, the Rockets might not have been able to defeat the Pelicans. This is Holiday's role. He can hold the ball and advance, and he also has good defensive ability and three-point shooting level. Holiday only holds a basic salary with the Rockets, which can be said to be quite valuable.

Tate and Jeff Green are also the main rotations inside. Both players also have their own characteristics. Okogie, the basic-salary defensive anchor signed by the Rockets during the offseason this summer, is a standard swingman. In name, he is a standard shooting guard, but in fact he can also serve as a forward.

In the previous game when the Rockets defeated the Pelicans, Okogie was reused in the 3rd and 4th quarters. At that time, the Rockets arranged a three-point guard lineup, and Okogie was placed at the power forward position. He performed really well in that position. He can not only complete steals and 1-on-1 defense, but also hit open three-pointers, and his ability to break through and draw fouls is also quite good. You must know that in the Rockets' first match against the Hawks, although Okogie missed 1 shot, he won 10 free throw opportunities and hit 8 of them, scoring 8 points in a single game.

In the Rockets' second game against the Jazz, Okogie was also heavily used. In that game, Okogie made three of three shots and scored 7 points, as well as 4 offensive rebounds. Against the Pelicans, Okogie won 20 minutes of playing time. He made 4 of 8 shots in the game and 1 of 3 3-pointers. He scored 9 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal. You must know that 9 points is his highest score since joining the Rockets. Although it is just an ordinary preseason game, we can definitely see Udoka's reuse of Okogie.

Okogie's playing time is among the second team, only inferior to the two main rotations of Ethan and Capela. Moreover, Okogie showed his all-round skills in the game, he can shoot and defend, and his rebounding and passing abilities are also quite good. He is also a versatile player who can play as a shooting guard or cover two forward positions, namely small forward and power forward.

Now the Rockets' VanVleet, Finney Smith and Tate are all out due to injuries. At the time of hiring, some media reported that the Rockets may give Okogie more playing time to improve his tactical status. He will be Finney Smith's best replacement.

Finney Smith will not be able to play in a short period of time, so Okogie will get stable playing time in the preseason and the beginning of the regular season of the new season, and will properly become a player in the rotation. In fact, it can be seen from the three preseason games that Uduka attaches special importance to Okogie and gives him enough performance opportunities, so that he can run in with the main lineup as soon as possible and adapt to his new role in the rotation as soon as possible.

The fact that the minimum salary gatekeeper can gain such trust and score 24 points in three preseason games is enough to show that Rockets general manager Rafael Stone once again completed a successful leak. Okogie's value is much higher than the minimum salary, but the Rockets signed him with one year's minimum salary, which is really a masterstroke in picking up opportunities.