The key to going from the team’s 41-41 record last year—which wasn’t enough to reach the Play-In Tournament—to a postseason berth this season will be the development of the young players.

Green and Şengün have already shown their bonafides, but a jump from either player—or both—would be huge for Houston. Even bigger would be players like Smith, Thompson or Whitmore taking another step in their development. And obviously, while Sheppard will only be a rookie, he burst onto the scene at Kentucky last season and could provide a nice spark off the bench.

“We’re still very young,” Fertitta acknowledged on Tuesday. “And as we watch all the greats who ever played the game, you’re not great until your third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh year. I don’t think Michael Jordan won his first championship until his seventh year.”

“Hakeem [Olajuwon], when did you win your first championship, your ninth year?” Fertitta then asked Rockets legend and Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon, who answered it was actually his 10th.

“We don’t want to wait that long,” Fertitta responded, which earned a laugh from the crowd “The point is, we’re very young, there’s high expectations, but to be great, we have to get a little older.”

So hopes are high in Houston, which boasts a deep roster full of young players who have enticing upside. But setting realistic expectations for a developing young group is also clearly a priority.