Houston Rockets: Assessing the rebuilt 2020-21 roster

Head coach Stephen Silas revealed the Houston Rockets starters to begin the 2020-21 season. Take a look at the starting lineup and how the rotation will look.

Over the offseason, the Houston Rockets made many acquisitions and revamped their roster for the 2020-21 season. Russell Westbrook was replaced with John Wall, Robert Covington was shipped off to Portland, and Christian Wood and DeMarcus Cousins were brought to Houston just to name a few of many moves rookie general manager Rafael Stone made during the offseason.

With all the new pieces now in Houston, many wondered what the Rockets lineup would look like. And the answer was finally given Monday afternoon as Houston’s new head coach Stephen Silas told the media that John Wall, James Harden, Danuel House, P.J. Tucker, and Christian Wood would start for the Rockets in their season opener Wednesday night against the Thunder.

Wall, Harden, Tucker, and Wood were all locks to be starters, but it came as a surprise to some that House was given a starting role over Eric Gordon. While House and Gordon are both capable NBA starters, Silas decided to go with the 6’7″ Houston native in House because of how he fits in with the other four starters.

"“I like House because he can guard the best player on the floor,” Silas said to the media. “He’s a spacer. He can kind of live [on offense] off of what James, John, and C-Wood do. Then having Eric’s veteran scoring and defending punch off the bench in a more featured role, that makes sense to me.”"

Silas’ reasoning makes sense, considering that House is not a ball-dominant player like Gordon is which makes it easier for him to gel with Harden and Wall, both of whom love to have the ball in their hands. House thrives off the catch-and-shoot 3-pointer, shooting 36.5 percent behind the arc last season off the catch and shoot, so playing alongside Harden and Wall, who are excellent passers and have a knack for finding the open man, works well.

Wood, the biggest offseason acquisition for Houston, gives the Rockets something they desperately needed last season: a true center. Wood is not a traditional center that simply lives in the paint, but a true stretch big who is excellent at the rim while also being able to knock down the deep ball at a solid mark.

Defensively, Wood provides the Rockets with a legit rim protector, something Houston lacked after going all-in on small-ball during the latter stages of the 2019-20 season.

This is the best starting lineup the Rockets have had in the James Harden era because it has two solid ball handlers, decent size, and everyone can shoot. But what makes this Rockets team even scarier is who they have coming off their bench.