It’s been a relatively quiet 2024 offseason for the young and improving Rockets, who had the majority of their 2023-24 roster already under contract for next season. Houston is coming off a 41-41 season, and that 19-win improvement represented the most annual growth of any NBA team relative to the previous year.

Yet, when the Rockets resume NBA games in October, the playing rotation won’t be the same as what we last saw in April. Tari Eason and Steven Adams are returning from multi-month injuries, while rookie guard Reed Sheppard — the No. 3 overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NBA draft — will make his professional debut.

Meanwhile, 2023 draft picks Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore could be in line for increased minutes entering their second seasons.

Going position by position through the starting lineup, here’s a look at the projected starter and potential reserves for head coach Ime Udoka. Many of these battles for playing time will take place at 2024-25 training camp, which will begin for the Rockets and all other NBA teams in late September or early October.

(Editor’s note: This list does not include two-way players such as Nate Williams, Jermaine Samuels Jr. and Nate Hinton.)