The 2020-21 Houston Rockets were a tough watch for several reasons. After James Harden was traded, a ton of Rockets fans tuned out the team entirely for the remainder of the year. However, it's not just that Harden was traded that made Houston a rough team to follow.
Last year's Rockets team just didn't feel important or compelling at all. While this year's team may still miss the playoffs, there are a ton of interesting plot lines to follow as compared to last year.
2021-22 NBA Season Rockets Storylines
1. Jalen Green and the rest of the rookies
To say that shooting Jalen Green and the other young prospects Houston drafted aren't the number one storyline headed into the season would be a contrarian take. Of course, there are other reasons to watch the Rockets next year, but most people want to watch Green and rookies like Alperen Sengun play after the Summer League performances they put on. The Rockets haven't had a top pick in the NBA Draft since Yao Ming (2002) and it's understandable that the fanbase is excited to see their team develop a potential All-Star talent from the ground up.
2. Kevin Porter Jr.'s development
Kevin Porter Jr. going into his third year in the NBA is my personal favorite storyline of Houston. Traditionally, players take their biggest step forward in development their third season and Porter Jr. will be extension eligible next summer. The financial incentive is there and he'll have a full season with a more defined role with the team. Last year, Porter Jr. was traded midseason for a second round pick that never converted and played in the G League before working his way up to Houston's main roster. A breakout would change the course of Houston's rebuild.
3. Will John Wall end the season with Houston?
There aren't many stranger situations in the NBA than John Wall entering the season on Houston's roster. Wall will turn 31 this season and half of Houston's rotation is still on their rookie deals. A resolution wasn't expected to happen this summer, but the direction of the franchise became pretty clear when Houston walked away on Draft night with four 19-year-old rookies. The days following the February trade deadline are usually when high profile buyouts happen, but it's to be determined if Wall, represented by Klutch Sports Group, will be willing to give up any money for freedom to sign with another team.
4. Can the Rockets get positive value from Eric Gordon?
When healthy, Eric Gordon is one of the best role players in the league. If Gordon plays a full and healthy season with the Rockets, there's little doubt that he'll add positive value. However, Houston is rebuilding and need those minutes to be distributed to younger players. If he can stay healthy and re-establish value, his contract will look a lot less inflated than it does currently. It'll be interesting to see how Gordon looks by the February trade deadline and if Houston can get a first round pick back for him.
5. What position does Christian Wood play?
Christian Wood always seemed to make the most sense as a center in the NBA, but the Rockets really seemed to really like playing Kelly Olynyk next to him last season. They doubled down on this by signing Daniel Theis in the offseason and it looks like their intention is to at least try the look of Wood starting next to Theis. Defensively, it makes sense as Wood was woefully unprepared to be a rim protector last season. Offensively, however, what makes Wood such an awesome tool to have is how versatile he is as a pick and roll finisher, rim runner, and floor spacer. Playing him at the power forward position seems to mitigate that, but we'll see what head coach Stephen Silas has up his sleeve.
Frankly, last season didn't matter for Houston. There was an understanding that a lot of the role players wouldn't be returning and the data collected felt pretty flimsy with all the injuries. Even if Houston isn't good, this year feels important and storylines like the ones above are why even the casual Rockets fan should pay attention all year.
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