3. The Houston Rockets try to compete and fail
The largest question ahead of the Houston Rockets is whether or not they should try to compete in a loaded Western Conference. Last season they barely made it to the second round, where they lost in five games to the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers.
The Rockets could certainly convince themselves the right move is to compete. Last season they were just 1.5 games out of third in the West, fully embracing a new small-ball identity to maximize Russell Westbrook’s strengths and minimize his weaknesses. Their stumbles in the bubble, the team could easily reason, were due to Westbrook’s health issues.
The Rockets are unique in how they built a contending roster without tanking. Under former general manager Daryl Morey the franchise made shrewd moves to amass resources, then moved them in major plays for talent such as James Harden or Chris Paul. Will they have the stomach for a rebuild, or will they try to hang tough?
ESPN’s Tim McMahon reports that publicly, at least, the team is sticking with contention.
What if the Rockets try to win games next year and Wall is simply a shell of his former self? The 30-year-old point guard is coming off of a two-year absence and multiple surgeries, including an Achilles injury. For a player whose game was based on elite athleticism, an Achilles injury could be a death sentence for his days as an All-NBA player — or even a good starter.
It’s entirely possible the Rockets are getting a below average starter in Wall, and if that is proven out he will be even more difficult to move than Westbrook. A slow Wall, already a subpar outside shooter and inconsistent defender, will be a block of cement to this offense’s chances at soaring. With fellow core players P.J. Tucker (35 years old) and Eric Gordon (31) getting long in the tooth themselves, a disastrous season could be in the cards.
This could mark the worst-case scenario, where Houston is good enough to miss out on the best lottery odds but not good enough to do more than make the play-in game in the Western Conference. Only the Oklahoma City Thunder seem to be accepting their place at the bottom of the West standings, which means even making the postseason could be a difficult task for a team weighed down by a has-been at point guard.
Trying to gain liftoff and failing miserably would be the worst-case scenario for this team, and yet it may also be the most likely.