The Houston Rockets entered the 2024 NBA offseason with a clear mission. They need to accelerate their rebuild by adding complementary pieces to their young core. With a mix of cap space and draft capital, the Rockets aimed to find a balance between veteran leadership and youthful talent to build a competitive roster. Let's dive into how they fared in this summer's free agency, grading each signing and assessing their potential impact on the team's trajectory.
2024 Houston Rockets Priorities
Heading into the 2024 offseason, general manager Rafael Stone faced the significant challenge of transforming a competitive roster into a team capable of making the play-in tournament.
The Rockets ended the 2023-24 season with a 17-11 record post-All-Star break and ranked in the top 10 in defensive efficiency. That was a stark improvement from their 29th place ranking for the entire previous season. With 12 players returning, including the entire starting five, Houston focused on instilling winning habits in its young players last offseason by signing veterans Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Jeff Green. Alperen Şengün, who played like an All-Star before his injury in March, was a strong candidate for Most Improved Player. Meanwhile, their two first-round picks from last year, Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore, are very exciting.
Additionally, after struggling offensively for most of the season, Jalen Green finished strong. He averaged 27.7 points on 49 percent shooting from the field in March. These are all positive signs for a team that has been languishing near the bottom of the standings since trading James Harden in 2021.
Here we will put out some of our grades for every player the Houston Rockets signed in the 2024 NBA Free Agency.
Re-signing Aaron Holiday
Aaron Holiday originally signed as a free agent with Houston on July 10, 2023. Last season, he played in 78 games. He averaged 14.6 points, 4.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per 36 minutes. Notably, Holiday had the fourth-highest free throw percentage (.921) among players with at least 60 attempts in the 2023-24 season. Over the past three seasons, Holiday has shot an impressive 39.0 percent from three-point range. Last season marked his sixth year in the NBA.
Re-signing Holiday was a strategic move for the Rockets. Known for his defensive tenacity and reliable three-point shooting, he fills a crucial role in their second unit. His experience and defensive mindset are precisely what the Rockets need off the bench.
However, while Holiday brings valuable skills to the table, his size and playmaking limitations prevent this signing from being a home run. He can be a defensive liability against taller guards. Also, his career 2.4 assists per game indicate that he's more of a scoring guard than a true floor general. Nonetheless, Holiday’s fit within the Rockets' rotation is still pretty good, though. His strengths align well with the team's needs despite some inherent limitations.
Grade: B
Acquiring AJ Griffin
The Houston Rockets announced the acquisition of guard AJ Griffin from Atlanta via a three-team trade with Miami. Griffin was the 16th overall pick by Atlanta in the 2022 NBA Draft. He appeared in 92 games with 12 starts for the Hawks over the past two seasons. Griffin averaged 15.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals, and 2.5 three-pointers made per 36 minutes. For his career, the 20-year-old is shooting 37.2 percent from three-point range and 89.8 percent from the foul line.
Griffin’s father, Adrian, played nine seasons in the NBA and appeared in 19 games for Houston in 2003-04. Adrian was teammates with Rockets forward Jeff Green in Seattle during Green’s rookie season in 2007-08.
Griffin is a promising young forward known for his defensive prowess and three-point shooting. He brings a much-needed 3-and-D presence to Houston. At just 20 years old, he fits perfectly with the Rockets' timeline. Griffin should provide immediate contributions while still possessing significant upside.
Griffin's ability to guard multiple positions and stretch the floor will be invaluable for a Rockets team that hopes to jump to the next tier. Yes, his consistency from beyond the arc and durability remain questions. However, his potential to grow alongside Houston’s core makes this a smart and strategic signing. This signing reflects both the excitement around his talent and the tempered expectations as he continues to develop.
Grade: A
Looking Ahead
Overall, the Houston Rockets have made calculated and strategic moves in the 2024 free agency period. Sure, not all signings were headline material. Still, they successfully addressed key areas of need, adding defensive depth, shooting, and veteran leadership.
As the Rockets continue to develop their young core, the blend of experienced and youthful players could position them as a rising force in the Western Conference. The true test will be how these new additions gel with the existing roster and whether they can elevate Houston from a rebuilding team to a playoff contender. With a blend of promise and potential, the Rockets' offseason moves set the stage for an intriguing 2024-25 season.
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