Houston Rockets: Updated starting lineup, depth chart after James Harden trade

The best of the rest

The bench for the Rockets is enticing if things go according to plan. Danuel House will be back at some point and was invaluable to the team last season before breaking the house rules in Orlando. Jae’Sean Tate and KJ Martin have shown flashes when given chances in the young season.

The two new players to come in the trade are worth taking a look at. Dante Exum is always hurt but quietly showed some signs in 24 forgettable games with the Cavaliers last season before the season shut down of being a rotation piece. Rodions Kurucs is still just 22 and has shown decent 3-point stroke.

The two primary names, however, are DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Gordon. Gordon is bouncing back to an extent this season. His 3-point shot feels broken (a frigid 29.6 percent) but his overall effective field goal percentage is a much better 53.9 percent. He can bring some offensive punch to an otherwise raw bench unit.

Then there is Boogie. He is slowly coming along this season but the potential, once he gets back into the swing of playing actual basketball, is exciting. Before the start of the season, he had not suited up since the 2019 NBA Finals and will take time to be anything like the player we once saw, if that is even possible. The Rockets, and NBA fans at large, will just have to hope for some flashes of his former brilliance and being the muscle in the meantime.

Ultimately, this is a huge win for the Houston Rockets. They have a collection of future picks and the first look at a former All-Star in Oladipo before he enters free agency. Stephen Silas finally has a chance to coach a team that wants to play together. Whether or not they are a real playoff team is debatable but this roster looks fun. That is definitely a start.