Why you should not count the Houston Rockets out just yet

Despite failing to make an epic splash this summer, the Houston Rockets are still one of the top teams in all of basketball heading into the 2018-19 NBA season. Here’s why you shouldn’t count them out just yet.

Although the Houston Rockets fell short in their pursuit of adding several marquee stars via free agency, one could easily argue that general manager Daryl Morey deserves some respect after everything that has taken place over the past month.

True enough, the 45-year-old executive — who constructed one of the greatest offseasons in franchise history last year — lost forwards Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute this summer.

Those two role players were important components in the Rockets’ transformation on defense and helped Houston finish among the top 10 teams in defensive rating last year. The 2018 NBA Executive of the Year currently finds himself at the crossroads while building his latest roster with limited cap space.

However, not all hope is lost in H-Town, as the franchise that almost knocked off one of the greatest basketball teams ever assembled is not dead yet.

Just days following the departure of Ariza and Mbah a Moute, the Rockets formally came to terms with journeyman forward James Ennis on a two-year contract for the veteran’s minimum. They also finally struck a deal with rising center Clint Capela, agreeing to a five-year, $90 million extension after standing at an impasse throughout the month of July.

Yet that’s not all Morey did.

In a move that appeared to be all but predestined over the past year and a half, Houston officially signed Carmelo Anthony to a one-year, $2.4 million deal this week, as the 34-year-old forward could prove to be the missing piece to the Rockets’ championship aspirations on a low-risk, high-reward contract.

While the arrival of Anthony has been met with mostly doom and gloom by the majority of basketball experts across the country, the Rockets still managed to keep their core pieces intact from a season ago by retaining not only Capela but also Chris Paul.

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The nine-time All-Star point guard helped the Rockets post an astounding 53-7 record in the regular season and playoffs combined alongside Capela and James Harden last year. He also served as the quintessential backbone of Houston’s switch-heavy defense alongside P.J. Tucker.

Tucker displayed the ability to emerge as a viable threat at both ends of the floor in head coach Mike D’Antoni‘s infamous Tuckwagon lineup. Current veterans on the Rockets squad — alongside second round rookie guard De’Anthony Melton, center Isaiah Hartenstein and Zhou Qi — could help provide the depth Clutch City needs to make yet another playoff run in 2019.

With multiple reports indicating that Houston is currently seeking to add a defensive-minded wing via trade, there is a possibility that Morey could have yet another move up his sleeve as he seeks to gather the final pieces to his puzzle prior to the start of training camp next month.

Houston may have not landed the services of Paul George or LeBron James, much to the dismay of fans throughout the Space City. However, no one can deny that the Rockets are still playing for keeps, as the recent moves in they’ve made — combined with future ones — may help the analytics savant garner the last laugh in the months to come.

Morey’s slow and steady approach towards building a championship roster could help him win the ultimate race in June.