Houston Rockets: 2018-19 NBA Season Preview
By Justin Rowan
2018-19 Roster
Key additions: Carmelo Anthony (buyout), James Ennis (free agency), Brandon Knight (trade), Marquese Chriss (trade), Michael Carter-Williams (free agency)
Key subtractions: Trevor Ariza (free agency), Luc Mbah a Moute (free agency), Ryan Anderson (trade)
One of the biggest criticisms of the summer for the Houston Rockets was that they allowed both Ariza and Mbah a Moute to leave in free agency. While some have speculated that Ariza may return if he is bought out this season, a buyout and Houston return is far from guaranteed.
Both players were essential to the defensive identity that the Rockets built last season. While injuries derailed the playoff run for Mbah a Moute, Ariza was one of their more reliable options all season right up until his disastrous Game Seven performance.
The big name coming to the Rockets this season is of course Carmelo Anthony. While he won’t provide the defense that Ariza brought, he will bring a relatively consistent offensive option and could be useful should the Rockets continue to stagger Harden and Paul. The three may not be ideal together, but with at least two on the floor the Rockets will have a better chance of keeping opposing defenses honest. Anthony may not be the player he was in his prime, but he still has gravity and may be in line for a bounce back season.
The sneaky important addition here is Ennis. He may not be the most reliable 3-point shooter in the league, but he shoots well enough to keep defenses honest and will likely benefit from the open catch and shoot looks Houston can generate. He is a long wing that should be able to mitigate any dropoff caused by the departure of Mbah a Moute. Just as Ariza stepped up after the departure of Chandler Parsons, Ennis should be able to do the same for Mbah a Moute.
The rest of the additions are a bit of a mixed bag. Marquese Chriss is still a very raw player and while he provides a lob threat, he hasn’t shown the consistency necessary to be a reliable role player on a good team. Let alone a team with title aspirations like the Rockets.
As for the two point guards they added, there is one known and one unknown commodity. The known is Carter-Williams, who is still finding ways to stick around in the league. He struggles with shooting and finishing, has a high turnover rate for his career and has never been as good defensively as his physical profile suggests.
The unknown commodity is Brandon Knight. Knight missed all of last season with a torn ACL and had a down year in 2016-17. If he could return to something resembling who he was in his better years he could provide the Rockets with a spark plug and another initiator off the bench. However, Knight already has an infection in his surgically repaired knee and will be out to start the regular season.