2009-2010 Finish: 29-53

What went bad

Let’s face it, there aren’t many teams sadder than the Houston Rockets. Either though the team started with a GM (KHSHawks) when the season started, they were almost better off after the league canned him partway through the year. Besides barely lacking a pulse, GM KHSHawks helped contribute in the team’s sad decline from the storied team of the Greenmig years (see LAL) to the dismal cellar dweller the team has become.

The offseason began with guys like Rasheed Wallace, Solomon Jones and Devean George taking off. Then KHSHawks made two pretty bad moves. First, he shifted young up-and-comers George Hill and Taj Gibson to the Hornets (and the old and crusty Anthony Carter to the Sixers) for Shawn Marion. Now, Marion is a good player but this team needs as many good players as it could get. Next, in perhaps the most ruinous deal in franchise history, the Rockets sent point guard extraordinaire to the Heat for Baron Davis and Jodie Meeks. SAY WHAT? Meeks ain’t enough to broker the difference.

The rest of the season was an exercise in futility. The league booted KHSHawks and tried to fill out the roster as Baron and Yao Ming went down to injuries. They brought in guys like Eduardo Najera, Jerry Stackhouse and Yakhouba Diawara to help out. Somehow, these benchies even had to play starting roles as injuries and lack of good players sunk this team.

What went worse

Just another forgettable, godawful season in Houston. Ming played in no games at all. Pitiful, pitiful.

Stars

- Baron Davis, G -

B-Diddy managed to keep it healthy for 65 games and if there was a star on this club, it would be him. Still 12.9ppg and 5.2apg ain’t got nothing on Steve Nash. What a poor decision.


Goats

- KHSHawks, GM –

So comes the end of another sad rein. And to think the guy tried to sneak back into the league using a different user name…..




Looking to the future

The Rockets are one of those teams that will need a complete facelift over the summer. If everyone is healthy, Baron, Yao, Marion and Stuckey make a formable starting four. But there are a lot of brittle bones there and chances of the four of them getting on the floor at the same time is dubious.

Help may be on the way in the form of Syracuse junior Wesley Johnson. Picked fifth in the draft, the small forward will be needed to jump in right away and kick some butt. The guy is good too, a sleek athlete that is explosive. He needs to work a little more on his jumpshot, but this dude is NLL ready. The team also drafted Rutgers center Hamady Ndiaye, but it is unlikely he will play with the Rockets this season.

With only eight guys signed and less than $7mil on the books, the Rocket will need to be creative when signing free agents. They may have the starting five down, but they need to fill out the bench. It will take some smart negotiating to do that. Maybe next season will be the year of the Rockets. Nah, probably not.