In a panel of NBA experts at ESPN, rising stars Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. clearly have their share of admirers. However, the panel does not expect their individual success in the 2021-22 season to translate into a greater winning percentage for the young Houston Rockets.
Green, who was drafted No. 2 in the 2021 first round, is their choice for Rookie of the Year. With 72.2% of first-place votes, Green easily tops Detroit’s Cade Cunningham, who ranks second with 27.8% of votes. Though Cunningham was the No. 1 pick, it could be argued Green is more ready for the NBA after spending a year in the G League as part of the league’s new “professional pathway” program. By contrast, Cunningham played last season in college at Oklahoma State.
It’s also worth noting Green outplayed Cunningham at the NBA’s 2021 summer league, particularly in their head-to-head meeting.
ESPN ROY predictions
1. Jalen Green | #Rockets: 75 points (72.2% 1st-place votes)
2. Cade Cunningham | Pistons: 58 points (27.8% 1st-place votes)
3. Jalen Suggs | Magic: 17 points
4. Evan Mobley | Cavaliers: 6 points
5. Scottie Barnes | Raptors: 4 pointshttps://t.co/g5T23PO6hl— Chris A. White 🐻 (@fyrebear) September 16, 2021
Meanwhile, Porter Jr. — now expected to start alongside Green in a “backcourt of the future” for the Rockets — ranks third on the ESPN panel’s list for 2021-22 Most Improved Player, trailing only Michael Porter Jr. of Denver and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Oklahoma City. Now 21 years old, Porter Jr. is entering his third NBA season, which is the type of profile that often points to a potential breakout year.
Though the sample was limited, Porter Jr. averaged 16.6 points and 6.3 assists in 32.1 minutes during 26 games for Houston last season.
ESPN MIP predictions.
1. Michael Porter Jr. | Nuggets: 30 points (16.7% first-place votes)
2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Thunder: 20 points (5.6% first-place votes)
3. Kevin Porter Jr. | #Rockets: 19 points (5.6% first-place votes)https://t.co/g5T23PO6hl— Chris A. White 🐻 (@fyrebear) September 16, 2021
Even with the love shown to Green and Porter Jr., it’s clear the ESPN panel sees the rebuilding Rockets as too young to see much improvement at the team level. The panel projects the Rockets to finish the 2021-22 regular season with a 22-60 record, tied with Oklahoma City and Orlando for the NBA’s worst mark.
If that’s the case, the silver lining for the Rockets is they would retain control of their first-round draft pick in 2022. That could provide an opportunity to add another young star next to Porter Jr. and Green.
In ESPN's W/L projections, they have the #Rockets, OKC and ORL all at 22-60. DET is next closest at 25-57.
They have the Pelicans at 37 wins making the 10th seed in the WC for the play-in.https://t.co/UedAfpVwAT
— Chris A. White 🐻 (@fyrebear) September 15, 2021
