SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 28: Jabari Smith Jr. #10 of the Houston Rockets celebrates a basket against the Golden State Warriors during the third quarter in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Chase Center on April 28, 2025 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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It was a big summer for Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. The 6’10 forward signed a five-year, $122 million rookie extension on July 6 which will pay him, on average, $24.4 million per season, from the 2026-2027 season through the 2030-2031 season. The contract is fully guaranteed with no player or team opt-outs reported. At the time it was signed, the deal was widely lauded league-wide as smart value for a rising young player who has been an important contributor on what is now one of the best teams in the Western Conference. The deal keeps Smith locked into Houston’s frontline through the duration of his physical prime. Smith was the third pick in the 2022 NBA draft out of Auburn.
Smith had a mixed season last year, appearing in just 57 games. In 30.1 minutes per game, he averaged 12.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks per game, shooting 43.8% from the floor and 35.4% from long distance. But Smith’s season was characterized by a metacarpal fracture he incurred on January 3, 2025, causing him to miss 22 games. During his absence, Amen Thompson stepped into Smith’s starting role; Smith never regained it.
Smith raised eyebrows with his play in the postseason against the Warriors when he averaged 7.4 points and 3.9 rebounds per game off the bench, shooting 50% from the floor and a scorching 45.5% from long distance (10/22).
At Rockets media day last Monday, Smith talked about his opinion that he deserved to start and that that was his personal goal. With Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks both traded to Phoenix in the Kevin Durant trade from this past summer, and Fred VanVleet sidelined due to injury, Smith figures to slot into the team’s starting lineup next to Thompson, Durant, and Alperen Sengun. The fifth starting job appears to be up for grabs.
Smith was instrumental to Houston’s success defensively and on the boards last season, a point head coach Ime Udoka stressed at times. With Smith in the first 33 games of the season, the Rockets were 22-11 with a defensive rating of 105.8 and offensive rating of 112.5. In the 22 games without Smith, the team went 12-10, with a defensive rating of 114.7 and an offensive rating of 115.4.
Smith has a golden opportunity ahead of him next season, not only to have a bigger role in the Rockets offense and reclaim his starting job, but to learn from Durant, one of the greatest scoring forwards of all time. He can build on what has already been a great summer.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/rahathuq/2025/10/04/whats-ahead-for-jabari-smith-jr-in-2025-2026/
