| 2007-2008 Season Preview: Houston Rockets Authored by Dennis Silva II - October 1, 2007 - 7:49 pm
The good news for Rockets fans is that the organization has reached a standard where 52 wins is no longer enough.
That much was determined when the team saw that bringing back head coach Jeff Van Gundy was no longer a priority.
With a team built specifically for Van Gundy’s grinding, defense-oriented style of play, a different direction would be in turn after the club fell out of the first round of the postseason for the third time in four years, losing a seven-game series in the seventh game for the second time.
That direction highlighted the hiring of Rick Adelman. Adelman is a veteran coach who embraces a wide-open playing style that emphasizes spacing and passing.
He’s been to the Finals, knows how to win, but the question on him has always been his ability to get the job done.
During his illustrative tenure in Sacramento, his teams were always right at the doorstep, ready to pounce on the Lakers, Spurs or Suns, or whoever stood in the way.
They just never did.
Fortunately for Adelman, the Rockets management brass went straight to work acquiring players who can fit his system.
Houston added plenty of depth in the off-season, thanks to the aggressive yet cunning pursuits of first-year General Manager Daryl Morey, who takes over for franchise icon Carroll Dawson.
After acquiring former Rocket Mike James in exchange for Juwan Howard in early June, Morey went right to work in the draft, acquiring 6-0 scoring speedster Aaron Brooks (University of Oregon) with the 26th pick in the first round.
Morey then added another undersized player in 6-7 power forward Carl Landry with the first pick of the second round.
Weeks later, much-ballyhooed forward Luis Scola was acquired from the Spurs, and Steve Francis was signed to a small deal after being released from Portland, which had acquired the former Rockets No.1 pick from New York on draft day.
Aside from Scola, however, little will change in regards to the Rockets’ needs
POINT GUARD
Houston is still in need of another true point guard; someone who thinks “pass first, shoot second.”
James, nor Francis, is the answer at that spot. Both are undersized scorers who thrive off the ball in different aspects – James with his jump shot, and Francis with his ability to penetrate and create.
The jury, even at age 32, is still out on the 6-2 James. Is he the 20 ppg/5 apg/44-percent 3-point shooter that we saw in Toronto two years ago, in a contract year?
Or is he more along the lines of the 10 ppg/3 apg/37-percent 3-point marksman we saw in Minnesota last year, where he was beaten out by rookie Randy Foye early in the season?
The Rockets are certainly hoping it’s the former.
Francis is ready for any signs of life to continue a career that has spiraled downward so quickly.
Just two years ago, Francis averaged 21 points, seven rebounds and five assists for Orlando.
Since then, he has not averaged more than 16 in the late stages of a career that has been marred by injury and inconclusive play.
Brooks is an interesting prospect, has the potential to be a better scorer and athlete than either James or Francis, but is still raw and will see only minor minutes this year.
As it stands now, Rafer Alston is the only true point guard on the roster. He started all 82 games last season, putting up 13.3 points, 5.4 assists and 1.57 steals per game.
But Alston has drawn the ire of Rockets fans for his inaccurate and shaky shooting, particularly from 2-point range.
His 36-percent clip from 3-point range is a healthy number, especially considering the 529 attempts he took from downtown.
It’s his 37-percent accuracy from inside the arc that draws sighs and headaches.
In a starting lineup that consists of a core of Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and Shane Battier, Alston is the better fit.
He has great chemistry with all and is a better post-passer than James or Francis.
He’s also a better defender than either, and would actually thrive in Adelman’s ball/player movement system than he did in Van Gundy’s alignment.
Still, though, there are questions to be answered at the point guard spot.
GRADE: B
SHOOTING GUARD
The Rockets are fortunate enough to have two perennial All-Stars, one in the frontcourt and one in the back.
The 6-8, versatile McGrady compiled 24 points, six assists and five boards last season, finally surrendering the team scoring title to Yao.
But he grew in so many ways. His leadership ability prospers with each week, and he has shown a consistent dedication towards establishing others before himself on offense.
His shot selection – he still tends to be enamored with the 20-foot fadeaway from the wing – could still use some work, but he is what he is.
The Rockets’ leader.
There are options for his backup, but nothing is clear.
Swingman Bonzi Wells may challenge for a starting spot (with him at the 2-spot and McGrady at the 3), or may find himself sitting on the bench due to a poor work ethic.
Wells soured in Van Gundy’s doghouse last season but re-upped with the Rockets when Adelman was hired, whom he has a great relationship with.
Wells, at his best, is a power guard that brings unique post-up ability, is a sound passer and consistent rebounder.
If he behaves, he has the opportunity to be the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year.
Francis and James are also capable of seeing significant time here, providing Adelman with more scoring and shooting help even with McGrady out of the game.
The shooting prowess of 6-3 Luther Head (44-percent from 3) will please Adelman, who is also said to be curious of Head’s ability in the open floor.
Kirk Snyder, at 6-7, is a physical, athletic specimen who brings a toughness to the team.
But he isn’t sufficient as a shooter or passer, and in Adelman’s system, that may mean he’ll see the short end of the stick.
GRADE: A-
SMALL FORWARD
Battier is the team’s heart and soul. After just one season in the red and silver, he’s proven to be at least that much.
He’s a brilliant defender, great glue guy and also showed valuable offensive skills as a 3-point shooter (42 percent).
He guards the team’s best perimeter player, and sometimes the best post player, and does all the dirty work that Adelman’s teams of the past are not accustomed to – taking charges, sacrificing their bodies and making clutch hustle plays that determine wins or losses.
Wells, and possibly Snyder, will see time here, but the backup will be camouflaged if Adelman decides to go small, or sticks McGrady here for spurt minutes.
Second-year sharpshooter Steve Novak may also see some time here if Adelman goes to quicker shooting lineup.
Justin Reed, a 6-9 defensive specialist, was acquired in the James deal but will be hard pressed to make the team.
GRADE: B-
POWER FORWARD
The Rockets’ power forward rotation looks something like this – Luis Scola, Chuck Hayes, and Carl Landry.
Rookie. 6-foot-6. 6-foot-7.
Doesn’t exactly strike fear into the likes of the Spurs, Suns or Mavs.
Scola was huge coup for Morey. He’s 6-9, a veteran of international play and is a strong passer, rebounder and knows his role and when and where to be at all the times.
But asking a rookie, despite an established one of the basketball world, to salvage the position is never a good thing.
Hayes is a great rebounder for his size, averaging 6.7 boards last year. But he’s not a great shot-maker and showed a tendency to blow easy layups last season.
He has a great working relationship with McGrady on pick-and-roll plays, but needs to develop some semblance of an offensive game to warrant consistent minutes, especially on a team looking towards the Western Conference Finals and not just a playoff berth.
Landry is also a rookie, but has one advantage – he’s an inch taller than Hayes.
Landry is big, sculpted and powerful, but, again, is undersized.
One of these days, the Rockets will learn that power forward is a position you can not afford to be overpowered at.
GRADE: C-
CENTER
Remember McGrady? Well that other All-Star complement happens to be the league’s best center, Yao Ming.
Yao continued his immense progress by posting 25 points, 9.4 rebounds and two assists per game.
But over the past two years, he’s shown a penchant for injuries, missing 57 games during that time.
That means whoever his backup is has to be reliable and consistent to perform for an extended amount of time, if need be.
Well, the Rockets re-signed Dikembe Mutombo and acquired Jackie Butler from the Spurs in the Scola deal.
Mutombo is good for 10 minutes a night, a few rebounds and a few blocked shots.
Certainly not enough, however, should Yao fall once again.
The 6-10, 260-pound Butler is intriguing. He’s athletic, has good power and clearly has talent.
Over the 69 games of his career, he’s shown an ability to choose his shots wisely (54 percent accuracy) and rebound well (three boards in 12 minutes per game).
He’s nothing more than a project, but a scintillating one at that.
If he can bully around and score and rebound efficiently, he should be able to provide decent relief for Yao.
But that’s a big if. Almost as big as the questions that surround the Rockets’ point guard and power forward positions as well.
GRADE: B+
OVERALL
The Rockets accomplished one of three things they addressed as needs heading into the 2007 off-season.
They got depth in the backcourt.
But they still need a legit, bruising power forward who can rebound and score up front (and who knows, perhaps Scola is that player, but it’s unlikely to be this year), and they still need a true point guard who can pass, thinks team first, and can hit open 3-pointers at a high rate.
In the end, Houston did just enough to be a bit better than last season.
But enough to support the championship claims that fans are beginning to spin this year.
2007-08 PROJECTED RECORD: 55-27
PLAYOFFS: 4th seed, WC Semifinalists |
