Rockets Season in Review, Part II: The Grades Are In

The Houston Rockets season was defined by its up-and-down nature. After a tremendous start, the Rockets rolled in with a difficult second half filled with injuries, and general ineffectiveness.

For a more detailed write-up on the season, check out Part I of my season in review. As for Part II, the grade book is open, and the harsh realities are reported below.

Here then, are the grades in no particular order whatsoever.

Yao Ming

Not a good year for Yao. In fact, a terrible one.

Grade: F

Aaron Brooks

In a year in which he won the NBA's Most Improved Player award, he deserves an A+, right? Wrong. While his offense was not only consistent, but also spectacular at times, he struggled in a few areas. 

First, while he improved in this area throughout the season, Brooks was quite ineffective at times in setting up his teammates, the primary role of a point guard, and got shot-happy, even when his shots did not fall. Additionally, while he is no Steve Nash, his defense was quite disappointing this year, making the loss of Kyle Lowry even more tough to swallow.

Still, he was a tremendous boost for a team that desperately needed scoring, and he scored, improving in virtually every statistical category despite being the focus of teams defenses for the majority of the year.

Grade: A-

Trevor Ariza

I am not as down on Ariza's season as many analysts are. For months, he was downright awful, shooting in the 30s from the field, and the 20s from the 3-point line. However, after he rejoined the team with Kevin Martin, he returned to a familiar role and play very effectively.

The main reason to Ariza's struggles was his role. Ariza is not now and likely will never be able to be a number one or two option in a offense. He simply does not have the ball-handling skills of the shooting touch to fill that role.

However, when he was relegated to open shots and picked his spots, he was so much more effective, shooting ten percentage points higher and playing a much more balanced game, even managing a triple-double in the team's last game.

Grade: C

Shane Battier

This was a truly disappointing season for Battier, who finally began to show his age. The guys Battier normally shut down—Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant, and others—went through the defense, and even players like Stephen Jackson went off.

His performances on defense simply weren't vintage Battier. It was clear that he was a step slower on defense and his results proved that he just wasn't the same player. 

Offensively, he was pretty similar to previous years. His shooting percentages were down, but that was likely due to taking more contested shots instead of the typical Ming set up open looks. But by all accounts, he was very average for Battier.

Still, when he went down with a knee injury, his true value was shown, as the Rockets went on to lose five of six quickly and officially be eliminated.

Grade: C+

Luis Scola

Going into the season, it was clear that Scola would have to step up if the Rockets were to go anywhere. Let's just say that he exceeded expectations.

After the trade of Carl Landry, Scola's role with the team increased, and he took advantage. He scored 20 points and 10 rebounds in March, asserting himself as one of the league's top power forwards.

Flashing a variety of post moves, the hard work he put in with the Rockets this summer paid off. He showed a nice scoop shot, decent hook shot, and his midrange jumpshot was still improved.

In a team that had a lack of continuity because of the absurd injury bug, Scola provided some much-needed stability.

Grade: A

Chuck Hayes

While Chuck Hayes is very good at what he does, playing good post defense, he was completely out of place as a starting center. He clearly put in hard work in his offensive game, showing a couple hook shots and improving his shooting percentage around the rim from 44 to 50 percent (source: nba.com/hotspots ), but he did not provide adequate production for a center.

His calling card, defense, also became less of a strength as he limped around with a bum knee all season. Not only did his knee limit his mobility which allowed him to be effective, but he seemed to lose a bit of his lower body strength which allowed him to keep bigger players off the block.

Additionally, as teams saw more and more tape on him, they realized that their bigger centers could shoot over the top of him rather than bully him in the post, and his biggest weakness was exposed.

It was a season of improvement for Hayes, who had a horrific offensive season last year, but not good enough for a starting center.

Grade: C+

Carl Landry

Carl Landry had perhaps the greatest improvement of any Rocket, becoming a dominant scorer on a team that desperately needed a scoring punch. His lack of passing ability was exposed as he struggled against double teams as the season progressed, but his transformation into a go-to scorer was no doubt a positive development for the Rockets.

Additionally, his transformation helped the Rockets land Kevin Martin in an impressive three-way deal, giving the Rockets their shooting guard of the future. While it was only a partial season, Landry gave Rockets fans memories that will last for a long time.

His reaction to the trade was as professional as he'd been his entire career, and a breakout season couldn't have happened to a better guy.

Grade: A

Tracy McGrady

Hahahaha! At least he had a great contract!

Grade: F

Kyle Lowry

It was an up-and-down season for Lowry. His jump shot was vastly improved from last season, and his defense was as good as ever, but his bum ankle clearly limited him from the moment he injured it.

His shooting around the basket worsened, as he struggled to get elevation off of the bad ankle, and he proved to be much better as a facilitator than as a scorer. Still, at times he seemed to run the offense better than Brooks, and his defense always makes him a weapon on the floor.

It's hard to imagine Lowry is not back in a Rockets' uniform come next season, but if he gets his wish and finds a starting job in the offseason, he will likely thrive, as he is one of the most underrated point guards the league has to offer.

Grade: B-

Chase Budinger

Coming into the year, Chase Budinger had few expectations as a second-round draft pick, but seemed determined to prove the experts wrong. In summer league and training camp, Budinger impressed coach Rick Adelman enough to give him a spot in the rotation to start the year.

And boy did Budinger take advantage of this opportunity. He averaged nine points a game and emerged as an excellent shooter and transition player, fitting in perfectly with the high-flying second unit of him, Jordan Hill, and Kyle Lowry.

While the Rockets used him primarily as a shooter, it will be interesting to see if he can add more variety to his game to take the next step in his quest to stardom in the league because he has all the tools and a great coaching staff to lead him there.

Grade: A-

Kevin Martin

With Brooks starting to struggle with his carrying the entire offensive load for most of the season, the Rockets were in desperate need for another scorer who could create his own shot and score. In Martin, they found one.

With a knack of getting to the free throw line, his gameplan minimizes the effect of shooting slumps, because despite a rough time shooting, he was still an effective scorer for the Rockets. He managed to pour in 21.3 points a game with the Rockets and looks to be even more effective when Yao is feeding him open looks.

While he missed time with a shoulder injury late in the year, he still proved to Rockets fans that acquiring him was a move that would pay huge dividends both now and into the future, as he will be a perfect complement to Yao's inside game.

Grade: B

Jordan Hill

Billed as more athlete than basketball player out of New York, Hill impressed Rockets coaches with his better-than-advertised game.

While the Rockets picked up Hill in a move for the future, thinking that he would develop into a nice player, his skills were much further along than expected. He affected the game in ways the Rockets had not anticipated, showing an ability to be a ball-hawk and making impressive blocks down the stretch.

Additionally, he showed a very natural feel for the game despite starting at a very late age, showing off hook shots and spin moves as the season progressed, demonstrating to the Rockets that he, not Martin, may have been the most important piece to the McGrady trade.

Grade: A+

David Andersen

Billed as a strong offensive center out of Europe, Andersen did little well. He struggled with his shot, defense, and rebounding before being supplanted in the rotation by Hill.

Grade: D-

Jared Jeffries

While his playing time was sporadic, Jeffries played well enough to ensure that he will not be bought out this summer, blocking shots but showing a complete lack of skill in making layups. He will have a place as a fifth big man next year.

Grade: C