Do You Like the Direction of the New Look Rockets?

Last Years Team:

PG - Kyle Lowry / Goran Dragic / Johnny Flynn
SG - Kevin Martin / Courtney Lee
SF - Chandler Parsons / Chase Budinger / Marcus Morris
PF - Luis Scola / Patrick Patterson
C - Samuel Dalembert / Marcus Camby / Greg Smith

That was our team last year. A nice mixture of youth and talent. There were a lot of very nice role players and a few really good role players. That team even has a few players that in their best seasons could be in the discussion for the All-Star team. But that team did not have any superstars or any real possibilities of any player developing into a superstar. Possibly Goran could turn into a Steve Nash type of player but the odds of that are astronomically low but outside of that...nothing. Guys like Lee, Lowry, Budinger, Scola etc... are what they are and have very likely either reached their ceiling as players or are very damn close.

The scary thing about that team is what would have happened had Daryl Morey decided to commit to those players beyond this season. Scola and Lowry are locked in for a couple of more seasons and with many of the other key role players up for new contracts this season or next Houston would have locked them into a very nice competitive but middle of the road team with no more talent than to be a fringe play-off team at best. I really loved the competitive nature of that group but I'm thinkfull Daryl Morey decided to take drastic measures to blow it up, even at the expense of losing Scola and Dragic for nothing.

This Years Team:

PG - Jeremy Lin 6'3" 200 lbs age 23
SG - Kevin Martin 6'7" 189 lbs age 29
SG - Jeremy Lamb 6'5" 185 lbs age 20
SF - Chandler Parsons 6'9" 227 lbs age 23
SF - Marcus Morris 6'9" 235 lbs age 22
SF/PF - Royce White 6'8" 261 lbs age 21
SF/PF - Terrence Jones 6'9" 252 lbs age 20
PF/C - Patrick Patterson 6'9" 235 lbs age 23
PF/C - Donatas Motiejunas 7'0" 222 lbs age 21
C - Omar Asik 7'0" 255 lbs age 26

Obviously there has to be some additions and the Dwight Howard trade is still up in the air so that could drastically effect the look of the team as well. But just looking at this team, the first thing that jumps out at me is the average age of the team which is 22.8 years old even with advance age of Kevin Martin averaged in. Additions to the Rockets outside of a trade for Dwight Howard would likely be players like PG - Scott Machado age 22, SG Zoron Dragic age 23, C Greg Smith age 20 and SG John Diebler age 24.

The second thing that jumps out at me when comparing this group to last years team is the upside of the team. This group has several players (Lamb, Motiejunas, Lin) that have a legitimate chance at developing into all-star caliber players. There are multiple players (Parsons & Asik) that have legitimate chance of making an NBA All-Defensive team at some point in their careers. I understand that potential has gotten more coaches fired than anything else but you have to have potential to become a contending team unless you are able to grab Lebron, Wade and Bosch in free-agency. Furthermore this group of young players are going to get a chance to play...a lot.

Daryl Morey made the comment when addressing his off season moves (and I'm paraphrasing) that he did not want good older players on the team impeding the progress of younger players with more upside. No progress stoppers allowed this season. So long Luis Scola and hello to the Rockets new starting Power Forward Donatas Motiejunas. I also have to wonder how long it will take Daryl Morey to move Kevin Martin so there will be no limiting Jeremy Lamb's minutes. More than likely I would think Martin stays unless there is a Dwight trade and his 12 million will just fall off of the salary cap next summer. There should still be plenty of playing time for Lamb even with Martin on the team.

Assets moving forward:

PG - Sergio Llull could be a key addition next season. Having a Llull / Lin, point guard combo would be a very nice recovery from losing Lowry and Dragic.
1st Round Toronto Lottery Pick
1st Round Dallas Pick top 20 protected but unprotected in a couple of years, about the time Dirk will be done.
Possible 1st Round Lottery Pick Houston's own pick which is likely to be a lottery pick. It belongs to Atlanta in the unlikely event that we make the play-offs.

In my opinion those are the Key Assets as of right now. We also have two 2nd round picks via New Jersey and Charlottes 2nd round pick via Boston.

Win/Win Situation!

I think Daryl Morey has put the Rockets in a win/win scenario for the Rockets moving forward.

1. They are still in contention for Dwight Howard and might be the front runner. If they get Dwight in a trade there should still be plenty of young assets to grow the team with. Howard would make the team relevant again right now. If he stays we are contenders for a long time. If he goes then we are bottom dwellers with a shot at the top pick in the draft.

2. No significant trades and we get to try the OKC approach to building a team. If the current crop of rookies and and free agents play to their potential then we are definitely going to be contenders in a few years. If only a few pan out or even none then we will have lots of extremely high lottery picks starting with our own next year and very likely the Raptors as well. While our current group could lead the way to 50+ win seasons in a few years, Daryl Morey has efficiently hedged his bet with all of the future assets (Llull, 1st and 2nd round picks) he now has in his pocket.

3. Last, Daryl Morey has salary cap flexibility with so many players on rookie scale contracts and the newly signed free agents, Lin and Asik, only with 3 year contracts. Daryl Morey will be in the cat bird seat when free agents start becoming available in a couple of years and teams like LAL, LAC, CHI, MIA, BKL and NYC have no ability to sign them. Good luck to all of those teams who have multiple players on contracts structured prior to the new CBA, they better hope they like their team because that is what they are playing with.

Do You Like Watching Developing Youth With Talent?

I think that is what we are getting this year. Personally I love to watch a young up and coming team and I think most other fans do as well. Just look at how Minnesota filled their arena this past season. I can't wait to see if Asik, Motiejunas and Parsons can be an elite Defensive Front Court. I think White making passes to Lamb, Motiejunas and Jones are going to make a lot of ESPN highlights and I am ready for some Houston style Linsanity!