2008-2009 Finish: 38-44

What went bad

I've said it before, but the Houston Rockets have been adrift ever since their larger-than-life GM Greenmig rode off on his bicycle into the Australian sunset. Though the team is still decent enough to (almost) make the playoffs since he left, the Rockets are a team without an identity. It doesn't help that Yao Ming seems to go down with a crushing injury each and every season.

Enter new GM Khshawks21. While at first he seemed to be another low-participatory GM, he managed to survive his first season and then make some trades to work the Rockets towards a better future. After the prior season, where the Rockets failed to make the playoffs, vets Derek Fisher and Ronald Murray skipped town. Rasheed Wallace, maybe out of laziness, decided to stay on. The team could not really attract any blue chip free agents either as Kwame Brown, Earl Watson, Brian Skinner and Jose Barea came aboard.

As the season progressed, the Rockets sat right on the bubble. Not wanting to go through a rebuilding process, Khshawks21 made a big trade that will shape the coming years of Rockets history. He sent rookie phenom D.J. Augustin, Brown, Skinner, Luc Mbah a Moute, Rasual Butler, Marcin Gortat and Barea to the Indiana Pacers for Steve Nash, Anthony Carter, Devean George, Anthony Carter and George Hill. Just like that, half of the team was traded. Did it help?


What went worse

In perhaps the cruelest trick of all, the Rockets tied the Blazers for 8th seed. Unfortunately for Houston, under the tiebreaker rules the Rockets did not make the playoffs. The former champs Portland squeaked in while Houston got sent home.

Stars

- Yao Ming, C-

After three seasons of missing serious time, the Emperor turned in 78 games where he averaged 26 points and 10.8 boards. However, ESPN is reporting Ming, thought lost for the coming season due to an injury, may be able to play during the 2009-10 season. "Yao Ming is progressing well. I don't think that [a career-ending scenario] is something that will happen, based on what I'm hearing from the doctors," Khskawks21 said. "They do know that the bone will heal and he'll get back on it. And they have not actually ruled out [his return] this season. I think that's less likely than likely, but they haven't ruled it out."


- Steve Nash, G –
Though the Nash deal was somewhat controversial for the Rockets, the veteran continued to play great ball in Houston. Though his scoring fell off considerably, he had more teammates to dish the ball to in Texas and he also improved his shooting percentage. Nash has already said he would like to finish his career in Houston.


Looking to the future

After the season ended, the Rockets made some more deals. Many in the league cried foul when the Sixers sent Zydrunas Ilgauskas to the team for up-and-comer Ryan Gomes. Yes, it was a costly move for Khshawks21 who seems to not want to rebuild but Ilgauskas will provide an adequate replacement for Ming and his contract ends after this season. The team also sent JJ Redick and a 2nd rounder to the Thunder for Marcus Banks and a 1st rounder.

In the draft, the Rockets selected Terrence Williams and Taj Gibson. Williams, a senior from Louisville, is a gamble because despite his athleticism he cannot hit the basket for his life. It is very unlikely he will go far in the NLL. In Gibson, a junior from USC, the team gets a defensive specialist who may also end up just being a fringe NLL player.

The team goes into next season knowing Ming is out and Nash is running the floor. They have a little bit left in cap space that Gibson and Williams will eat up. Ilgauskas will probably start at center and the hot Rodney Stuckey will play shooting guard. Then things get dicey. It is very possible that Wallace has had enough and bolt to a contender. If Watson takes a pay cut, that will open up some more money for the team. If Houston can retain Carter and Dominic McGuire, both are decent players who will cost very little. This team is not deep. Khshawks21 will need to use his MLE wisely, but with a really low GM rating, it is possible that no one will come and the Rockets will have to spend another year from outside looking in.