The Houston Rockets have hinged their immediate future on the performance of their young players as they try to return to contention and try to reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time since the 2018 postseason.

The team has improved significantly as the young players have improved, but it remains to be seen how much further these players can rise in the coming years.

Alperen Şengün and Amen Thompson are the key cornerstones on the roster acquired through the draft. Şengün's ability to create shots for his teammates and take on matchups in isolation give him the unique opportunity to run the offense in the half court.…