The 2020-21 season ended an era when All-Star James Harden requested a trade from the Houston Rockets. We Rockets fans were sad and devasted, but some of us knew it was the beginning of the Rebuild. Three other teams were involved in this trade: the Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers, and Cleveland Cavaliers. In the exchange, the Nets sent guard Caris LeVert and forward Rodions Kurucs to Cleveland, center Jarrett Allen and forward Taurean Prince to Cleveland, and four first-round pick swaps (2021, 2023, 2025, and 2027) to Houston. To complete the trade, Brooklyn purchases a 2024 second-round draft pick from the Cavaliers, while the Rockets also acquire guard Dante Exum and a 2022 first-round draft pick from Cleveland (via Milwaukee). The Indiana Pacers, the fourth team that was included in the deal. The Pacers traded All-Star guard Victor Oladipo to the Rockets in return for LeVert and a potential second-round pick. In the 2021 NBA draft, the Houston Rockets would go on to draft Future All-Stars, who are Jalen Green and Alphren Sengun. Stephan Silas was their head coach for the seasons (2020-2023). Our season (2021-22) was terrible, going 20-62, but it was expected with All-Star James Harden. The following year, the Houston Rockets drafted Jabari Smith Jr and Tari Eason, which also wasn’t a great season where the Houston Rockets went 22-60. The rockets needed to make some moves, and they decided to fire Stephan Silas. The Houston Rockets hire Ime Udoka, former Boston Celtics head coach. We needed some Veterans in the team to mentor our young core, so we were available for the Top pick for the upcoming draft. We also signed Dillon Brooks, with his outstanding defense, as well as Fred VanVleet’s experience and playmaking skills, which have been essential in keeping the club stable, especially in late-game scenarios. That year, We ended up drafting Amen Thompson first, every player drafted from overtime elite. The season of 2023 is when the league saw the upside the Rockets had coming for the upcoming years. Throughout the years, the Houston Rockets Improved in defense when players like Tari Eason and Amen Thompson contributed significant defensive energy, the Rockets are currently one of the league’s best defensive teams.
Categories:
Uprising of the Houston Rockets
Jason Sustaita Jr, Sports Journalist
February 17, 2025
0
More to Discover