Houston Rockets: Tilman Fertitta is willing to win at all costs

After accumulating nearly $175 million in debt to purchase the Houston Rockets for a record $2.2 billion last summer, 60-year-old businessman Tilman Fertitta is willing to do whatever it takes to help his franchise win at all costs.

Nearly a quarter century after falling $4 million short in his quest to own the Houston Rockets, Tilman Fertitta managed to make his second time the charm five months ago.

The 60-year-old star of CNBC’s Billion Dollar Buyer — who owns one of the largest restaurant corporations in America — disbursed more than 25 times the amount than former owner Leslie Alexander invested to purchase the franchise in the summer of 1993. He sold off $1 billion worth of bonds per Forbes, to turn his lifelong dream into reality, as Fertitta finally acquired his beloved Rockets for a league-record $2.2 billion this past September. His first season as owner could not be going any better.

Houston currently owns the best record in basketball at the All-Star break at 44-13, and has emerged as one of the top challengers to the Golden State Warriors this season.

The team that has never won more than 60 games in a single season is on pace to put together its best season in franchise history and reach the NBA’s Mount Olympus for the first time in over two decades behind head coach Mike D’Antoni, James Harden, Clint Capela and Chris Paul. They have managed to mop the floor with teams on a nightly basis, posting a nearly perfect record in contests where the entire trio is in action.

Despite Clutch City’s recent success, Fertitta may likely have to pay yet another exorbitant amount in the effort to help the Rockets continue competing for the Larry O’Brien trophies, as Houston has the chance to become a yearly title contender should it re-sign free agents Paul (unrestricted), Capela (restricted) and Trevor Ariza (unrestricted) over the summer.

That, along with pursuing LeBron James, who could possibly seek to take his talents down south in free agency, would force the Rockets to join the list of NBA teams that currently reside in the luxury tax bracket.

This is a price that the business mogul appears to be willing to take on, as Fertitta recently went on the record with USA Today’s Sam Amick to share how he plans to do whatever it takes to keep his team intact:

"“The NBA is a tough business, No. 1.” Fertitta said to Amick earlier this week. “And you can go from making money to losing money very quickly. Everybody has to remember, I did pay $2.2 billion for this team. I didn’t pay $80 million for it, okay. And I’m not worth $20 billion [his reported worth is $4.3 billion], but I have no problem paying the luxury tax if I truly think that it truly gives me the chance to win the championship next year, okay?…believe it or not, we’re not in the luxury tax today and we truly have a chance to win the championship this year.”“One day when I close my eyes after having this wonderful life on earth, if I don’t have a few championships I’m going to be a really pissed off son of a gun.”"

While Fertitta cannot openly discuss which pieces the Rockets will look to pursue this upcoming summer due to tampering rules, it is no secret that Houston is preparing themselves to make a potential free agency pitch to James in July, as there are a myriad of scenarios that could lead the 14-time All-Star to team up with Paul and Harden in the Lone Star State.

This would form arguably one of the greatest super-teams in recent memory, to help take down a rival that James and general manager Daryl Morey both have in common, as the head man in charge appears to have made his goals for the Rockets clear from the top down.

"“It’s been fantastic; very smooth,” Morey said per Amick when taking the time to describe his relationship with Fertitta. “Tilman’s come in and already pushing us to do more things in more different ways — different ways we can invest to win, different ways we can upgrade things for players. He’s part of the planning process. It’s been great.”“We’ve talked through [the luxury tax]. We’re going to be in the luxury tax next year, and…nothing’s going to hold him back from putting together a championship team. He obviously has the money; he just paid the highest amount ever for a team.”"

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This is something that the Rockets faithful should be proud about, as Fertitta appears to be the ideal owner for any fanbase who is seeking to win at all costs.