Four Shooters Join, Have the Rockets' Perimeter Weaknesses Become History? Legendary Coach Praises Them, Leaving Udoka Without Excuses

Many people have pointed out that Rockets head coach Ime Udoka often chooses to avoid responsibility after the team's defeats, finding various reasons to explain the losses. At times, he has been said to blame poor player performances, insufficient team effort, or even injuries as reasons for setbacks. Some commentators believe Udoka should face the situation directly and take responsibility for the team's losses rather than repeatedly finding excuses and avoiding accountability.

However, the Rockets' roster strength has actually improved significantly for the new season. Although some believe the Rockets appear inferior compared with powerhouse lineups such as the Philadelphia 76ers, having only Sengun as a true star while Philadelphia can field multiple stars such as Embiid, Jaylen Brown, and James, the Rockets' roster depth has in fact been effectively strengthened. The team's main issue last season was the lack of a primary point guard and quality perimeter shooters. Especially in crucial moments, Durant and Sengun were often double-teamed by opponents and struggled to find solutions, leading to losses in several games that they should have won.

During this offseason, although the Rockets did not acquire a superstar, they successively signed four perimeter players known for their shooting ability, including minimum-salary guard Bogdanovic, former Lakers player Smart, and two notable young players: Copeland, who signed a two-way contract, and Thornton, who shot over 40 percent from three-point range in the Summer League. These additions have greatly expanded the Rockets' perimeter firepower, and the weakness from last season—the lack of outside shooting ability—is expected to be reduced in the new season. With VanVleet returning as well, the Rockets will have more diverse perimeter options.

Legendary coach Mike D'Antoni, the former Rockets coach who was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame, also commented on the situation. He believes the Rockets now possess strong offensive and shooting ability, and said that if he had the opportunity to coach this team, he would enjoy it because he could lead many talented players. He supported the Rockets' offseason additions, believing that the four newly signed shooters, combined with strong defensive ability, could help the team become an elite two-way squad. If last season's Rockets could only defend but struggled to score, the new season will show elite defense and shooting performance.

Overall, if D'Antoni were ten years younger and the Rockets were hiring a head coach, he would undoubtedly be eager to take the job. In D'Antoni's view, the Rockets' current roster is already very complete, so if Udoka cannot lead the team to a new level, he will face a situation with no excuses. Previously, injuries and a lack of perimeter firepower could be cited as reasons, but with VanVleet and Adams returning, along with numerous perimeter shooters, poor performance from the Rockets would leave him with fewer explanations.