NLL Insider - Team by Team: Houston Rockets by vt, updated on Saturday, October 18 2008, 07:21 pm EST
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2007-2008
Finish: 41-41
What went bad
The Houston Rockets are still trying to pull themselves out from the shadow of GM Greenmig. Once a force in the NLL (they won the Championship back in 2005), this team has been one of the league’s forgotten clubs ever since Greenmig packed his bags and left for Australia. Even though they did find someone take his place (and I can’t remember his name), the team has idled and been inactive in most of the league’s activity ever since. Recovering from the loss of such a big personality is difficult and this team is still coping.
There is very little to say about the Rockets’ unremarkable last season. Sure, they have finished .500 but they did it by coasting. They made no trades. The only FAs signed were Ronald Murray, Eddie Jones and Smush Parker (before he tried to choke somebody). Otherwise, that’s it. What else there to say?
What went worse
They fired the GM. That hurts. But worst of all, Yao Ming went down with an annual injury. He only played in 46 games last season and the year before that. The Dynasty appears to be crumbling. |
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Looking to the future
The Rockets are going to have to hire a new GM, someone to breath life into this franchise. They come into the offseason with over $30 million left in cap space. But they need to re-sign Rasheed Wallace and that will be costly. Ryan Gomes and Derek Fisher are the team’s only other big name free agents. Yao, Sheed and Gomes can make an effective starting three, but they need to get one or two more dynamo players to really make a difference. Letting malcontent Bonzi Wells walk away is probably a good idea.
Houston’s picks in the draft could turn out to be fortuitous. They selected D.J. Augustin, who despite his size, adds quickness to a team mired by slowness. If he figures out a way to dodge the big guys, Augustin could be an NLL star. We all know Houston needs one. |
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