The 2020-21 Houston Rockets may look a lot different than they have in previous seasons, as the dominant storyline in Texas this offseason is the trade rumors swirling around former MVP and eight-time All-Star James Harden.
While the Harden rumors have been the headline-grabber in Houston lately, there's a lot to like about this Rockets, which looks a lot different this season with a new coach, a new general manager, and some fun pieces on the roster.
Even with the Western Conference being loaded with potential playoff teams, Rockets fans should still expect their favorite team to stay in the playoff hunt, whether Harden spends the whole season in Houston or not.
1. James Harden will not be traded this season
The Houston Rockets have done everything in their power to cater to the superstar guard, trading away so much draft capital for Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook only to have to recently move on from both point guards.
While the Rockets made a big move this offseason in trading away Westbrook for former No. 1 pick John Wall, according to a report from ESPN's Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski, that trade has not convinced Harden to stay in Houston.
Rumors swirled around social media Thursday night of a potential swap with Philadelphia for Ben Simmons, but it looks like new team president Daryl Morey wants to build around Simmons with the Sixers.
Simmons is the best asset the Rockets could get for Harden, and while Harden doesn't seem to be happy in Houston, the asking price of a young star and multiple draft picks might be too high for playoff contenders engaged in trade talks.
Superstars have been unhappy before, but that doesn't mean that new general manager Rafael Stone has to be move on from Harden.
Having a superstar and three-time scoring champ is a great start to having a successful basketball, so barring a surprise trade in the next few days, it looks like the Rockets won't have to put Harden jerseys on clearance any time soon.
2. If there was a Comeback Player of the Year award in the NBA, John Wall would win it
Everyone in the NBA world wants to see John Wall return to his All-Star form, but the only thing holding him back has been his injury history, which has caused him to not appear in a regular season game since Dec. 2018.
It's never good to see a point guard who relies on quickness and agility around the basket undergo five different surgical procedures, he has looked a bit like his old self so far this preseason.
In their first preseason game against the Chicago Bulls, Wall poured in 13 points, nine assists, five rebounds and two steals in just under 20 minutes of action.
Wall has also appeared to rekindle the chemistry with former All-Star and college teammate DeMarcus Cousins, as while both players have seen their careers halted with Achilles injuries, the duo could see a resurgence together in Houston.
While he's always been a ball-dominant point guard, Wall can thrive in Houston if he learns to co-exist with Harden. If new head coach Stephen Silas staggers the depth chart correctly, Wall could lead the Rockets and post some vintage performances while Harden is on the bench or struggling to shoot from deep.
While staying healthy is a big ask for Wall at this point, if he can continue to play well with Cousins and learn to work off of Harden, he could return as a top-10 point guard.
If the NBA had a similar award to the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year honor, John Wall would be in contention for it this season.
3. Christian Wood will average a double-double and be in the conversation for an All-Star nod
Christian Wood was one of the pleasant surprises of the 2019-20, as he was one of the lone bright spots for the lowly Pistons, averaging 13.1 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game while shooting 56.7 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from three.
Those numbers may have very well been empty calories on a crappy Detroit squad, but considering Wood was on his sixth team in six years and almost got cut in favor of BIG3 superstar Joe Johnson, Wood was one of the greatest underdog stories last season.
The advanced statistics community loves Wood, as being well above the 50th percentile in True Shooting percentage, usage percentage and free throw frequency (per FiveThirtyEight) prove that he doesn't need to rely on making threes or teammates creating shots for him to have successful game on offense.
While he is also above the 50th percentile in defensive rebounding percentage and block percentage, many analysts have found that he tends to fall asleep on defense and was not big enough to defend larger post players.
Despite those defensive weaknesses, the offensive upside of Wood make him worth every penny of the three-year, $41 million contract he signed with the Rockets this offseason.
Wood is projected to start at center for the Rockets alongside Wall, Harden, Danuel House and P.J. Tucker, according to The Athletic. While Wood's usage percentage will obviously go down in that lineup, surrounding him with talented shooters and high-I.Q. offensive players should set him up for success this season.
Wood could be the happy beneficiary of lobs from Wall and Harden, and if the Rockets decide to move on from their superstar, that only gives Wood more chances to have the ball in his hands in clutch situations to prove his worth.
If he can put a little more meat on his bones to avoid getting shoved around down low, Wood may be the ideal stretch-five that Morey was coveting in his time with the Rockets. If he can prove his numbers in Detroit weren't a fluke, he could average a double-double in be in the conversation for an All-Star spot in the West.
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