Rockets Season Can Be Salvaged

(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

I was shooting hoops a little bit ago, and the main thing on my mind was the Houston Rockets and what the upcoming season holds in store for them. If you haven't heard, Yao Ming will be having foot surgery and should be out for the upcoming season. This was expected, but now Houston's front office can start making their decisions knowing that Yao won't be suiting up this year.

I post at a sports forum called realsportstalk.net, and my friend htown11 posted a similar thread to the topic I'm going to be writing about. We've talked about the Rockets' situation quite a bit, and I've floated trade ideas to him a few times to see what he thinks. At first, he was extremely bummed, but he's been able to see some light in all of this, and now so have I. Let me explain.

First off, Houston's hopes of making the playoffs aren't over without Yao. Their hopes of contending for a title, however, are. You don't have to worry about them tanking or rebuilding now, they're going to remain competitive. Remember, this is a group that took the Lakers to seven games even without their two star players. Aaron Brooks will be entering his third season in the NBA, and in the playoffs he showed he could be a very good scorer at this level. Brooks is small but quick, and is a very good penetrator. His three-ball is improving, and on offense I believe he is the playmaker this team needs.

Surrounding Brooks, you have a few very good role players. Shane Battier is one of the best perimeter defenders in the game, and can knock down an open shot. Trevor Ariza is similar in that he can shoot and defend, but he also adds a lot of athleticism. Some believe he could just be a product of the Triangle Offense, but in Houston I don't think that will be the case. Finally, Luis Scola is one of the best energy big men in the game. He's got a great motor, rebounds well, and can contribute with garbage buckets in the paint. Every coach in the NBA would love to have this guy on their team.

This isn't a very sexy supporting cast, but they've got great chemistry. Losing Ron Artest will hurt, and Trevor Ariza can't make up for the shot-creating ability that Artest has. Tracy McGrady could be that option, but he's getting older, and he could be worn down by injuries. I wouldn't bank on him being the scorer Houston needs with Aaron Brooks, and his reporting the injury to the media before the team pissed off coach Rick Adelman. I expect him to be traded, more on that after I talk about the remaining contributors on the Rockets' roster.

Houston lost shooting guard Von Wafer via free agency, and center Dikembe Mutombo called it quits in free agency. With a big hole at center, the Rockets traded for the draft rights to Australian center David Andersen. Andersen is athletic for a center, can shoot, and score in the post. The team is going to look to run more, so he would be a very good fit at center with his ability to run the floor. Could this possibly be Luis Scola v. 2.0?

Carl Landry, Chuck Hayes, and Joey Dorsey will all compete for minutes in the post off the bench. Landry is a solid scorer, Hayes is a premier post defender, and Dorsey is a monster rebounder (led the Summer League with around 14 a game). They all bring different things to the table, but also lack one thing: length. Without their 7'5" Chinese stud in Yao, Houston is suffering from dwarfism on their frontline. I personally believe size is underrated when it comes to big men, but Houston will have it's struggles with taller opponents.

At guard, the Rockets drafted Arizona's Chase Budinger and Jermaine Taylor of UCF. Both are solid shooters, but lack on the defensive end. James White is ultra-athletic, and he could make a splash off the bench this season. Expect some electrifying dunks in transition from him. Kyle Lowry is the current backup point guard. He's quick, but can't shoot. Houston would try to find a better reserve to Aaron Brooks, but with all their needs this can't be high on their list of priorities.

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?