As has been the case for much of the 2020/21 season, the Rockets have a crowded injury report today, with 10 of the team’s players having been ruled out for the regular season finale in Atlanta.
However, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (via Twitter), none of those 10 players are dealing with long-term injuries that will hinder their ability to conduct offseason training or participate in Summer League games.
That includes Khyri Thomas, who underwent an MRI this weekend after he “tweaked” his Achilles on Friday (Twitter link via Feigen). According to head coach Stephen Silas, that Achilles injury isn’t severe, which bodes well for Thomas and the Rockets — the young swingman just signed a four-year contract with the team on Friday.
Here’s more out of Houston:
- Cameron Reynolds will only spend three days (two games) with the Rockets before his rest-of-season contract expires, but even that brief stint with his hometown team means a lot to the Pearland, Texas native, as Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston relays. “I’ll never forget this,” Reynolds said, adding that several family members were in attendance to watch him on Friday. “I’ll never forget being able to play for the Houston Rockets. This is huge for me.”
- After going undrafted in 2018, Jae’Sean Tate played for a new team in each of his first three professional seasons, so he’s especially appreciative of being able to enter the 2021 offseason knowing he’ll remain under contract with the Rockets and won’t have to find a new home. “It’s kind of surreal,” Tate said, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. “This is what I’ve been dreaming of. This is what I’ve been working so hard for, to come in on the back end of my first year. It went by so fast; I feel I just walked into training camp. Also, it just makes me hungrier because I know there are so many things I can work on and get better at.”
- Armoni Brooks, who went undrafted in 2019, didn’t make his NBA debut until last month, but he has played big minutes (25.6 MPG) for an injury-ravaged Rockets team and his 54 three-pointers are the most ever by any NBA player through the first 19 games of his career. In a separate Houston Chronicle story, Feigen looks at what’s next for Brooks, who is shifting his focus to summer workouts.
Rockets notes- Praying on lottery balls….that is all
Everyone else (not just OKC) is praying the Rockets end up with the #5 pick and lose out on the chance of getting a franchise player to replace Harden.
Adding a guy like Cade C. or Mobley would make Houston very dangerous.
You are right, we all are praying for Houston to loose their pick this year:
a) because it will be hilarious
b) thats what you get for being cheap and stupid. That CP3 Russ trade was horrifficaly idiotic
more idiotic the Capela for Covington? Are you sure Tillman will be disappointed if he saves 6MM a year on avg. by getting the 18th pick vs 1-4?
Derrick Rose
FG 49%
3pt 41%
John Wall
FG 40%
3pt 32%
Rockets need to bench John Wall if they really want to make playoffs next year
Or
Compare Wall to Haslem of Heat
Haslem is 10 years older than John Wall. I’m sure the Rockets are going to just play him a handful of games every year like the Heat do with Udonis.
About time Tate started thinking about working on things… he has played like he thinks it is all a con game… until lately, moving in from the sides and taking advantage of transitions, head up and seeing, fearless enough to be spontaneous thus unpredictable.
Sometimes defenses only seem to care about closeouts and leave room for drivers.
Doubt Wall be back. He does not fit here. Yes his contract an issue but just is not a fit and never was. I know had to do something with Russ but I just do not see him really helping. Will they trade Gordon in off season. I want something good and more with the draft. I think these players need work and am sure will have the time this off season but would love something with the pick and draft this year. Do not want another dismal season with injuries and more.
Wall’s not going anywhere, he fits just fine (far better than a stat-stuffer like Westbrick did). They might trade Gordon, but only if they get something good in return. The sheer amount of injuries suffered by the Rockets this season was nothing short of historic, even when compared to all of those suffered by the rest of the league. They used an NBA-record 30 different players during the season, that’s two full 15-man rosters right there.
They also used 43 different starting lineups, that has to be close to a record as well. Their main 15 players missed a combined 332 games, almost 5 guys per game. The had 12 or more players available in only 26 of their 72 games, the rest of the time they had 11 or fewer guys available. In 30 of those games they had 10 or fewer healthy players. Next year will be better, I promise.
For those who think the Rockets are going to be terrible again next year, the last time they had back-to-back losing seasons Ronald Reagan was serving his first term.