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Houston Rockets: Isaiah Hartenstein could be a key part of the Rockets future

By Duncan Smith

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - NOVEMBER 16: Isaiah Hartenstein #55 of the Houston Rockets has the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the game at Target Center on November 16, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - NOVEMBER 16: Isaiah Hartenstein #55 of the Houston Rockets has the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the game at Target Center on November 16, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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The Houston Rockets opted to make a revolutionary move at the trade deadline, going all small-ball all the time. Isaiah Hartenstein was the odd man out, and that was a mistake.

When the Houston Rockets picked their poison this season, they decided there was just one solution to their problems. They needed to figure out a way to integrate Russell Westbrook and James Harden together, and using Westbrook as an offensive focal point required surrounding him with shooters.

On their roster, head coach Mike D’Antoni and company decided the best way to do this was to eliminate the center position. All the centers.

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They went all-in on small-ball, trading Clint Capela to the Atlanta Hawks in a four-team trade that saw Robert Covington return to Houston by way of the Minnesota Timberwolves. While there were a lot of moving parts involved in the deal and its aftermath, two main consequences emerged: P.J. Tucker was now their 6’5″ starting center, and 7’0″ Isaiah Hartenstein, an actual center, was vanquished to the G-League.

The Rockets saw some real high highs and some low lows in their brief (albeit all-encompassing) relationship with small-ball. They beat the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics, but they also had some ugly losses including one to the New York Knicks where they were outrebounded by nearly a two-to-one margin (65-to-34 in total, 20-to-8 on the offensive glass).

Essentially, the Houston Rockets opted to conduct an experiment to decide once and for all if rebounds actually matter. As of the season’s hiatus, it seems like they do to at least some degree, and not getting overwhelmed physically by bigger squads definitely matters as the Rockets practically dragged themselves to the hiatus.

One of the limitations on their small-ball approach is that it only really works when Russell Westbrook is in the lineup, and with his physical limitations as he ages (such as not playing the second games of back-to-backs), that can be a real drag in the regular season in particular. The playoffs are a different beast, but it’s still a high level of reliance on a single player in a configuration that assures you’ll get outrebounded at an eye-popping level.

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The solution to these legitimate problems might be in-house in the form of Isaiah Hartenstein. While his sample in the NBA was small, averaging just 11.6 minutes per game in 23 appearances, he was solid enough while he was on the floor, and he was outstanding with the Rio Grande Vipers in the G-League.

In his 14 games with the Vipers, he averaged 24.9 points and 14.8 rebounds per game in a dominant show of force. Having just turned 22 years old, he has no shortage of potential and may be a missing link that could enable the Houston Rockets to at least have a traditional configuration to roll out in conjunction with their small-ball lineups.

Especially in the playoffs, whether they happen this year or not until next season, the Rockets will be going up against huge, physical teams in the Los Angeles Lakers and the LA Clippers. Not having a traditional big man to fall back with in tough times will almost certainly be their undoing against skilled and sizeable opponents like those.

Small-ball surely has its place, but big men will always have some role in the NBA. The Houston Rockets’ last remaining big man needs to have a role on his team, too.

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