The Houston Rockets came up just one game short of shocking the NBA world this past season by nearly taking down a three-time-champion Golden State Warriors team in the Western Conference Finals, but will now have to regroup and gear up for another title run at the league’s mantle.
In its years of NBA supremacy, Golden State was yet to encounter a force as well-oiled as Houston, and that was evident from the jump. Houston had the Warriors on the ropes, and last year’s MVP James Harden, along with superstar backcourt running-mate Chris Paul, finally had the best chance of their careers to silence their postseason critics with a long-awaited finals berth – until the tide turned in Game five.
An unfortunate injury to a certain Rockets point guard made the latter part of the series an uphill battle. The Warriors are nearly impossible to match up with at full strength, so taking away a player of Paul’s caliber served as a knockout blow.
The Rockets will head into next season with title aspirations again, but with a noticeably different roster.
This summer, the Rockets lost two opening-day starters from last season in veteran forwards Ryan Anderson and Trevor Ariza. Though Anderson and his gaudy salary proved to be more of a liability down the stretch, they had inked him to a major contract with the idea that he would be an integral cornerstone of their future plans.
Ariza was a pivotal part of their postseason run and record-breaking offense, working as the perfect spot-up complement to Harden and Paul while often working against the opponents’ best weapon on the less-glamorous end. Though they would have loved to bring him back, Ariza likely became somewhat expendable due to the late-season emergence of PJ Tucker as a key cog.
Able to slot in at either forward position, Tucker provides nice versatility along with almost generational defensive instincts. He and Chris Paul were the blueprints behind transforming the Rockets from an offensive juggernaut into a well-rounded, disciplined team.
Outside of those two departures, the remainder of Houston’s offseason was littered with minor solid moves and also included one highly analyzed addition in forward Carmelo Anthony. Despite what you think about his game at his now advanced age, Anthony could prove to be a worthy wing substitute with Ariza now out of the mix.
Melo is one of Chris Paul’s closest friends, and while his ability to knock down the triple will still be the most important thing he brings to the table, his veteran scoring prowess could add another dimension to this already terrifying Houston offense. If deployed correctly by head coach Mike D’Antoni, the Rockets should be able to take advantage of the things he is still capable of.
While his once-polished face-up game has taken a hit, he’s still a more versatile scorer than Ariza and may be able to alleviate some pressure off of Paul and Harden in a way similar to perennial-Sixth-Man-of-the-Year candidate Eric Gordon, but in a lesser role. Though all signs point to Anthony coming off the bench, it remains to be seen whom D’Antoni decides to start at small forward (assuming Tucker serves as the starting power forward), between Anthony, Gerald Green and the recently signed James Ennis.
Along with Anthony and Ennis, the Rockets were able to ink former Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams to a deal, and also added Marquese Chriss and veteran journeyman Brandon Knight from Phoenix as part of the Ryan Anderson trade. Though Eric Gordon is rightfully locked in as the lead guard off the bench, Carter-Williams and Knight provide a nice dosage of extra youth and depth in an otherwise-experienced backcourt unit.
Of course, along with these external additions, the Rockets were also able to achieve what they set as their focal point this summer: re-signing Chris Paul and Clint Capela. Though things looked murky for a brief juncture, the Rockets were able to retain both starters and will move forward with largely the same core intact. Harden, Paul and Capela, the Rockets’ big three, are now all under contract for the next handful of years, cementing them as a long-term title threat rather than a one-year wonder.
Now reunited, that trio is simply one of the most lethal in the entire NBA when sharing the floor. The multi-layered offensive repertoires possessed by both Harden and Paul, coupled with the rim-running Clint Capela, makes them a nearly unguardable combination. With a handful of top teams out West, such as the Warriors and Lakers, lacking a consistent interior presence, this is where the Rockets can gain an edge on both ends with Capela anchoring their high-powered unit.
Even with the West beefing up more than it already was thanks to a certain LeBron James, a loaded and more importantly tested Rockets team will still undoubtedly be one of the most prolific threats. Despite marquee teams like LA and Boston commanding much more offseason attention, James Harden, Chris Paul and company are out to prove that their historic past campaign in Houston was much more than an anomaly.
