[The Ringer] The 2017 Houston Rockets Exit Interview

hat tip to @basketballholic who posted this in another thread. excellent read.

https://theringer.com/2017-nba-playoffs-houston-rockets-exit-interview-298de8af739e

The 2017 Houston Rockets Exit Interview
James Harden’s squad couldn’t have picked a more embarrassing way to end their season, and they’ll have to answer some tough questions about the talent they surround their lone star with come summertime​

The Rockets flamed out in spectacular fashion Thursday, with a 39-point loss at home to a Spurs team without Kawhi Leonard or Tony Parker, but it’s hard to call their season anything but a success. Coming off a 41-win season and the departure of Dwight Howard, it seemed like the James Harden era in Houston had peaked, and the rest of the league had caught up to the unorthodox philosophy of longtime GM Daryl Morey. Instead, the Rockets doubled down on Moreyball, bringing in Mike D’Antoni and a legion of 3-point bombers, and turned themselves into one of the most potent offenses in NBA history.

The Rockets should be a contender in the Western Conference for a long time to come: They have a superstar, a defined identity, and a core with only one player (Trevor Ariza) over 30. However, going from good to great is the toughest jump in the NBA to make, and even in a world where the Warriors don’t exist, the way the Rockets lost to the Spurs in the second round raised questions about the way their roster is put together. Harden may have worn down from carrying the offense all season, while their thin bench limited D’Antoni’s options to make adjustments, especially in comparison with Gregg Popovich, who leaned on the Spurs’ depth to survive the loss of two of his best players.

The only key rotation player not under contract for next season is Nene, and depending on what the Rockets do with him, they will be around $10 million under the salary cap. They won’t be able to make the same type of splash they made last offseason, when they signed Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon to massive long-term contracts, but the lure of playing with Harden in D’Antoni’s wide-open system should make them an attractive option for free agents looking to play for a contender. It will take a while for Rockets fans to get over what happened in Game 6, but there’s still plenty of reason for optimism in Houston. Here’s a look at the six most pressing questions the franchise needs to answer in the offseason, and where they need to go from here:​

more at the link