Where does this leave the Rockets in the standings now?

1.Lakers
2.Thunder
3.Spurs
4.Rockets

that's about right...

 

9th place...14th pick....

 

7-10th seed in the west

 

We are substituting Harden for Martin. How many more wins will that create? How much better is Harden compared to Martin? I don't know, I don't see it giving us that many more wins. Wait and see.

 

This is exactly what I thought too...I don't think him alone is enough of an upgrade over Martin to get us too many more wins.

 

Harden is better than Kmart. If he weren't this wouldn't be as big a news as it is right now... Shocking the nba.

 

I think it's gonna take a while to develop chemistry for this team. Almost everyone on the team is new and young. If TJ can produce early, we have a solid first team on paper:

Lin
Harden
Parsons
Jones
Asik

 

Well the Thunder slid quite a bit.
1. Lakers
2. Spurs
3. Thunder
4. Nuggets
5. Rockets
6. Grizzlies
7. Clippers
8. Warriors

Timberwolves have too many injuries
Clippers are too old.
5-8 is interchangeable.

 

I dont really think the rockets get a top 10 pick with their own selection.

 

I still see them on the outside looking in. There is talent on this team but not enough experience.

You have the playoff locks
1)Lakers
2)Thunder
3)Nuggets
4)Clippers

You have the veteran teams
5)Spurs
6)Memphis

then you have a whole bunch of teams with more overall talent than the rockets:
Minnesota
Golden State
Utah
Portland

 

I think we're still in a "wait and see" phase!

A LOT depends on how Lin goes this season. My personal belief is that he could bust out with the whole 18-8 statline. But if gives us an 8-5 line, we'll be in trouble!

Something in between probably sees us as a 40-50 win team, which will be good for a first round playoff berth.
Dallas, Phoenix and Portland are all worse than they were last year. Rubio is out, and with him Minny, and so a team won't need to be far over .500 to take the 8 seed this season.

Can we do better? A lot "depends"!! Will Lin be 14-7 or 18-8? Can Asik stay on the floor and keep his conditioning all season long to be a 10+rpg guy anchoring an outstanding defence? Will Parsons hit a sophmore slump? Can someone stand up to be counted in the PF spot?

If we get enough 'yes' results, then this team is going to be anywhere from very exciting, to extremely dangerous over the coming years.

 

Warriors won't make the 8 spot. Bogut isn't ready to play, and so you or I could still score in the post against them.

Unfortunately the Jazz probably WILL make the 8.

 

This year, I think we are somewhere around the 14th pick or first round playoffs. Similar to where we were last year, hopefully we get over the hump this time though.

However, our future prospects just got a LOT better because as Harden enters his prime, he has a good chance to become a superstar.

 

Thats true. I completely forgot about the Jazz. You could also put Dallas in that conversation too. The West is stacked this season.

 

As high as 5th or 6th, as low as 9th.

 

You guys a getting way ahead of yourselves. Kmart had looked better then ever this pre-season, 25+ LPG potential IMO for a 17 LPG sixth man who choked in the finals. Harden will be huge long term, but this doesnt make us THAT much better for this season.

 

The part you aren't getting though is that now we have more "Veteran" Experience. All the guys we got have been in the playoffs the last 2-3 years and know what it takes from learning from two top 10 players in the league. Now we have what many call a top 20 player. So I think we improved a lot. Not from a talent standpoint but all-around.

 

We have improved in many ways.... But the biggest change is the attitude and perspective of this team. We are not tanking now. Kmart is not here to just pad his stats for FA. Opponents (and media!) are not just targeting Lin now and the weight of the world is no longer on Lin. We just went from potential laughing stock in the West (or at least many on this board would have us believe), to legitimately dangerous.

Kmart said two days ago we can't compete. Yes we can.

 

We are not done making trades, that is for sure. But, we have made our team one of the teams with the brightest futures. That is exciting. Almost all of our players are under 24!