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Houston Rockets

Loss to Lakers painful, but there were positives

When Kobe Bryant beats you, you live with it. Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Ron Artest… not fun, but understandable. But when Shannon Brown and Steve Blake beat you, that’s a tough pill to get down.

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Houston Rockets Brad Miller vs. Lakers

Brad Miller made some nice passes in his Houston Rockets debut

When Kobe Bryant beats you, you live with it. Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Ron Artest… not fun, but understandable.

But when Shannon Brown and Steve Blake beat you, that’s a tough pill to get down.

That’s what happened Tuesday night in the Rockets opener as Houston controlled most of the first three quarters, then hit a wall, looking a bit clueless trying to contain a three-point onslaught from the Lakers bench duo in a 112-110 loss in LA.

What makes it more difficult to swallow is that the Rockets played exceptionally well in the first half, exploding for 62 points behind the double-barrel backcourt attack of Kevin Martin and Aaron Brooks. The pair hit 6-9 from downtown, combining for 37 points in the first two periods, and the excitement in the arena from the Lakers ring ceremony evaporated pretty quick.

But also on full display was the other side of the coin with Houston’s starting backcourt. Yes, they’re a serious challenge for defenses, but they’re also seriously defensively-challenged.

Go back and watch how Brown and Blake beat the Rockets in the final 13 minutes of game action (I have. Three times. Please help me.) They consistently burned Martin and Brooks from long range. Now there’s not much you can do when a career 33% three-point shooter like Brown hits 4 of 5, but a hand or two up is always nice. On one play, Brown got the ball from 25-feet out with 1.5 ticks left on the shot clock and Martin was still giving him enough space to stop a drive.

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Brooks has even less of an excuse because shooting threes is what Blake does.

So on defense, I think there’s a still a question mark. Having Kyle Lowry return is going to be a boost, but your big minute backcourt can’t cause the dam to break, as they did over a 7-minute span late in the third/early in the fourth when the Lakers made up a whopping 19 points, turning an 11-point Rockets advantage into an 8-point deficit.

But this was a nationally-televised road game against the Lakers, back-to-back champions and a team unanimously considered to still be best in the West, and Houston was right there for the win. Got to love that — there were definite positives.

Miller Time
Here’s a guaranteed way to cheer you up: Close your eyes and imagine David Andersen is backing up Yao.

Feel better?

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Brad Miller, in his Rocket debut, was solid on the boards (9 rebounds in 25 minutes) and showed why he will be an asset out of the high post. He’s committed to setting solid screens (trust me — not every player is) and he’s a terrific passer. He had two gems in the first half to a cutting Kevin Martin and Chase Budinger. It was the same play where both Miller and the baseline cutter reacted, but Miller threaded the needle both times. Defensively Miller may be a seven-foot tall piñata, but the Brent Barry comparisons don’t fly — he is going to play a key role and he’s going to fit in nicely. Here’s the video below:

Yao is coming along
The primary reason I don’t pick the Rockets as a top seed in the West (I’m guessing 49 wins) is the uncertainty of Yao Ming. You’ve got a cap on his playing time and restrictions on back-to-back games, and that’s a problem when you’re not sure how much you can count on such a large piece of the puzzle.

Case in point: With 6:30 left in the game and the Lakers up 92-91, Yao fouled out… but he was done for the night anyway in the next 60 seconds because he was at 23 minutes played. How difficult does that make it for the Rockets when you have no choice but to pull your game-changing player at such a critical moment? Let’s not even throw out the overtime possibility.

Still, Yao looked pretty good. Sure, there were some problem moments (like when Shannon Brown just took the ball right out of his hands in the post), but he’s progressing nicely. 9 points and 11 boards in 23 minutes and he got off more shots (11) than I anticipated. He doesn’t look tentative on his foot, and that’s all that matters — the rest will get better with each passing game.

Depth
The best way I can sum up the Rockets depth is that I am constantly entertained by their lineups, and that’s rare. There are no pauses, no convenient times to check the fridge, no “Oh, Ryan Bowen’s in” fan timeouts where you triple-check that the DVR isn’t lagging behind.

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With a second team consisting of Miller, Chase Budinger, Courtney Lee and (usually) Kyle Lowry, Adelman can keep the quality coming. I’d still give that up in a heartbeat in a trade for a superstar, but the Rockets are going to win some games on their ability alone this year to run quality for 48.

On Deck
No time to rest. After the Lakers, any other West opponent would be a step down, but let’s hope the Rockets don’t sleep on the Warriors tonight. It was backcourt defense that stung in LA, and Golden State runs Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry at you as well as a big who isn’t afraid to get up and down in David Lee. Got to come back home with a split.

Armed with a bizarre fascination for Mario Elie and a deep love of the Houston Rockets, Dave Hardisty started ClutchFans in 1996 under the pen name “Clutch”.

Houston Rockets

Houston a potential landing spot for Ben Simmons post-buyout?

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Ben Simmons Houston Rockets

ESPN NBA analyst Brian Windhorst said on Thursday’s NBA Trade Deadline show that Brooklyn Nets forward Ben Simmons is working on a buyout and the Houston Rockets is a potential landing spot for him.

“Cleveland and Houston are two situations for Ben Simmons,” said Windhorst.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka was an assistant coach in Philadelphia in 2019-20 when Simmons was with the Sixers, before injuries took a significant toll. In fact, Udoka, when speaking about Amen Thompson earlier this season, brought up some comparisons to Simmons.

“The skill set is there, and it’s something that’s unique with his speed, athleticism, size, passing ability, and all those things,” said Udoka of Thompson. “I coached somebody, Ben Simmons, who had similar traits… as far as size and ability to push the pace, and find guys and finish. There are some similarities there.”

Both Thompson and Simmons are known for their elite athleticism, defensive versatility, and ability to create opportunities in transition.

However, can Simmons help the Rockets today? That’s the tough question.

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Simmons has played in 33 games this season, averaging 6.2 points, 6.9 assists, 5.2 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.5 blocks in 25 minutes a night. He does not shoot threes (like, at all) — he has only attempted two threes in the past three seasons combined.

Ideally, he does not play in front of your young forwards of Amen, Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. and on that basis alone, I think I would pass. But, Ime loves defensive dogs and he could use some extra ballhandling on the roster. You can see that there’s little in the way of offensive organization when Fred VanVleet is out.

There would be a comical full circle moment though if the Rockets did sign Ben Simmons, considering the Rockets were heavily criticized for trading James Harden in 2021 to Brooklyn instead of to Philadelphia for Simmons. The Rockets clearly made the right choice there.

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Rockets pick up another second-round pick in deal with Hawks

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Cody Zeller

The Houston Rockets are working the phones to do a little more asset management.

After acquiring a second-round pick from Boston to take on Jaden Springer’s salary, the Rockets made another similar move, absorbing the contract of Cody Zeller this season to get back a 2028 second-round pick.

Ironically, that pick is Houston’s own 2028 second-round pick that the Rockets sent to Atlanta in 2023.

The Rockets waived Springer to make roster room for Zeller. They will likely do the same with Zeller in order to make room for a buyout signing in the coming days or weeks.

It’s a small move but it’s another good one on the margins. These second-round picks add up. The two the Rockets got in the past couple of days — Boston’s 2030 second and Houston’s own 2028 second — could be eventually combined in a deal that nets the Rockets a solid role player down the line. Houston did exactly this last season when they acquired Steven Adams from Memphis.

So quick grade? Easy A. Solid asset management work by Rockets GM Rafael Stone and credit to Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta for being willing to spend millions just to get some extra seconds.

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Rockets Pick Up Jaden Springer, Second-Round Pick in Trade with Celtics

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Jaden Springer Houston Rockets

The NBA Trade Deadline is just over 24 hours away but the Houston Rockets have already made a move.

OK, it’s not that kind of move, but Rafael Stone and the front office did make a trade on the margins on Wednesday, picking up Jaden Springer and a 2030 second-round pick from Boston.

The Rockets leveraged their open roster spot and salary situation to take the contract of Springer off the hands of the Celtics, who are saving a ton in luxury tax payments by making the move. It’s smart business by the Rockets, who are doing this for a second-round pick in 2030.

Now, usually a Celtics second-round pick is not worth much, but this is five years out so it’s a quality asset as far as seconds go. In today’s NBA, these kinds of picks have grown in value as key assets for being in a position to land solid role players. With the Rockets planning on being a playoff team for the next several years, this addition could prove useful in addressing future roster needs.

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This trade framework between Houston and Boston may not be new to you. If you watched or listened to the ClutchFans Podcast on Monday, David Weiner, aka BimaThug, literally called out this exact possibility of the Rockets taking on Springer and landing a second-round pick.

As for Springer himself, this was a player I liked quite a bit in the 2021 NBA Draft and I wanted the Rockets to take him at the Josh Christopher spot. He has not quite panned out just yet. He’s got good size for a point guard (6-foot-4, 200 pounds) but is not a strong playmaker and has not been incredibly accurate as a shooter (25.0% from three).

But he does have good defensive potential. Does that get Ime Udoka’s attention at all? Possibly, but the Rockets likely will get an end-of-the-bench look at him for the rest of the season before his contract expires this offseason.

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Podcast: Doncic to Lakers, Fox to Spurs and the Trade Deadline for the Houston Rockets

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Luka Doncic Traded To Lakers, De'Aaron Fox Traded to Spurs, Rockets Trade Deadline and Impact

Luka Doncic traded to the Lakers? De’Aaron Fox traded to the Spurs?

What a crazy few days it has been, and the NBA trade deadline (Feb 6) hasn’t even arrived yet. The league is already turned upside down, so what does this mean for the Western Conference and the Houston Rockets?

Join Dave Hardisty and David Weiner on this episode of the ClutchFans Podcast as they break down:

  • The shocking Luka Doncic trade to the Lakers
  • Could the Rockets have had a legit chance at Luka?
  • How De’Aaron Fox changes San Antonio’s future
  • The Rockets owning Dallas’ 2029 first-round pick
  • What the Rockets could do at the NBA trade deadline
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The podcast premieres at 7:30am CT! Come join us!



CLUTCHFANS PODCAST: SPOTIFY | APPLE

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Houston Rockets

How the stunning Luka Doncic trade to the Lakers impacts the Houston Rockets

Dallas did the unthinkable by trading their superstar – what does this mean for Houston now and in the future?

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Luka Doncic Traded To Lakers

Late Saturday night, the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis and a 2029 first-round pick.

I know, it doesn’t seem even remotely real. This is the most shocking sports trade of my lifetime. I can’t think of one bigger nor one more unbelievable.

The Mavericks have to know something about Doncic that we don’t. It’s being reported that his poor conditioning, weight issues and looming supermax contract were the biggest factors, but this is a young phenom who is hypercompetitive. He might very well haunt Dallas for a long time.

It’s an absolutely fascinating move. So how does this impact the Houston Rockets now and in the future?

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The Rockets Couldn’t Get Luka?

The first reaction is of course, “Luka Doncic was available?!?” That leads to the inevitable question of why the Rockets didn’t get involved.

The simple answer is they didn’t know. Nobody really did — and it would not have mattered if they did.

This is a classic example of how sometimes in the NBA, it doesn’t matter how big of a treasure trove of assets you have. What matters is having the right single asset. Dallas Mavericks GM Nico Harrison wanted Anthony Davis and that was that. The Rockets, with all their youth and picks, would not have been able to compete for Luka because they couldn’t help Harrison with his goals.

At the same time, this has to be maddening for Rockets GM Rafael Stone and the Houston front office, who have tried to position themselves for just such a trade when it became available. Doncic is 25-years old and was seen as an untouchable top-5 player, a dream target, the kind of player teams fantasize about stealing — yet the Mavericks booted him out of Dallas like a bad tenant in the dead of night. No league-wide bidding war — just unceremoniously traded while 28 other teams sat clueless, never even getting a shot at the prize.

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Dallas could have had their pick of top young players and draft choices had they made this an actual competition so this trade will be questioned and second-guessed for many years to come.

Rockets Control Dallas’ 2029 first-round pick

There is a silver lining for the Rockets and that’s the control they have on Dallas’ 2029 first-round pick (unprotected).

Dallas traded that pick to Brooklyn in the deal for Kyrie Irving in 2023. Brooklyn gave control of the pick to Houston as part of the deal to get their own picks (2025, 2026) back this past summer. So the Rockets control the best two first-round picks (unprotected) out of Phoenix, Dallas and Houston’s own first in the year 2029.

In this deal, Dallas’ core got older. Irving will turn 37 in the 2028-29 season and Davis will turn 36. This is four years away so a tremendous amount can change between now and then, but on paper it is a strong positive indicator for the value of that pick.

Keep in mind, the Rockets are unlikely to actually use this draft pick — they’re more likely to trade it to strengthen their current roster. So, what actually happens to Dallas four years from now isn’t as important as how teams around the league perceive the value of that pick right now and in the near future.

This looks like a potential win for Stone, Patrick Fertitta and the Rockets front office.

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Impact on Western Conference

Both the Lakers (currently 5th seed) and Mavericks (currently 8th) are potential first-round matchups for the Rockets this postseason.

Los Angeles: The Lakers may have taken a short-term hit, but if Luka’s conditioning issues can be fixed, this trade completely revitalizes their future. Before this move, Los Angeles was still relying on a 40-year-old LeBron James with no clear path forward, especially with their draft picks already limited. Now, they’ve managed to land Doncic, who put up 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds per game last season at just 24 years old, in exchange for a 31-year-old Davis. That’s highway robbery.

The NBA just handed the Lakers another superstar lifeline (like Shaquille O’Neal, like Pau Gasol, like Chris “Basketball Reasons” Paul, like LeBron James, like Anthony Davis) and they took full advantage.

But right now, this is an odd fit. The Lakers have no size. More moves have to be on the way here so stay tuned on how the Rockets match up with this squad.

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Dallas: Luka had been out for over a month and the Mavericks have been slipping. Dallas says they want to focus on defense and they do get that in Davis. They went from relying on two forces on the perimeter to putting the ball in Kyrie’s hands as the leader and leveraging their size in Davis, Derrick Lively (when he returns healthy) and Daniel Gafford.

The Rockets have excellent perimeter defenders, but their lack of interior rim protection makes it tough to handle Davis and any additional size next to him. This could be a real challenge for Alperen Sengun. While Sengun offensively dominated Gafford in their last matchup, he struggled against Lively — and Davis is on a whole different level.

But can Amen Thompson, Tari Eason and Dillon Brooks take out the head of the snake in Kyrie? Three-point shooting efficiency will likely be the key against Dallas. I think this is a tougher matchup for Houston right now, but long term, I think this really helps the Rockets. We will find out soon as Houston faces the Mavericks (without Lively) this Saturday.

One last potentially positive note to close on: Texas is fertile ground for free agents. No state income tax and warm weather have always been draws for NBA players, so having young superstars like Victor Wembanyama and Luka Doncic playing for your two rivals in the state had the potential to make things problematic when recruiting players trying to win a championship. Dallas loses that draw and becomes a team with a much smaller window… and who wants to live in San Antonio over Houston?

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