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5:18 PM ET After an offseason of major change for the Houston Rockets, the team's new general manager and head coach emphasized that the franchise's primary goal remains the same: Chase a championship with a roster that features perennial MVP candidate James Harden as the franchise centerpiece. "For the last eight years or so, our goal has been to win a championship because we had James Harden," general manager Rafael Stone, a longtime Rockets front office employee promoted after Daryl Morey's resignation, said during a virtual news conference to introduce recently hired head coach Stephen Silas. "We've still got James Harden. Our goal is still to win a championship, and if you've got him, you're halfway there. "It's incumbent on me and Stephen and the whole team to figure out the rest of the whole, but the key piece is there." Silas, 47, whose two decades of experience as an NBA assistant coach include most recently serving as R...

Although Houston Rockets coach Stephen Silas is known for improving players and building rapport with superstars, will he be able to do the same for Russell Westbrook?  New Houston Rockets head coach Stephen Silas has a great track record in player development, as he scouted for the Washington Wizards in 2005-2006, which is one of the many jobs he’s held in the league. All in all, Silas has worked with LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kemba Walker, and Luka Doncic. Silas was successful with each of those players he worked with, in addition to the teams he’s coached. Considering his proven success with superstars it’s worth wondering whether can Silas do the same thing with Russell Westbrook. As the Houston Rockets got dismantled in five games by the 2020 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers, Westbrook took a ton of criticism, in part because of his poor shooting. Westbrook shot 24 percent from the perimeter, as the Lakers left him wide-open. During the regular season, Westbrook shot a ...

Houston Rockets shooting guard James Harden and Washington Wizards point guard John Wall recently played in a pick-up game as the two All-Stars try to stay active during the NBA offseason. Harden, who has led the NBA in scoring three years in a row, hit an absurd one-legged 3-pointer against Wall. Take a look at the spectacular play by the Rockets star: James Harden is back with the one-legged threes. Off his right foot. #Rockets (H/t @normantanaka) pic.twitter.com/M8Jebn8MVL — Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) October 31, 2020 James Harden actually shot a one-legged 3-pointer during a preseason game in 2019-20. The Rockets superstar didn’t make the shot, but it was still pretty cool to see The Beard attempt it. In 68 games for Houston in 2019-20, Harden averaged 34.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists while shooting 44.4 percent from the field, 35.5 percent from beyond the arc and 86.5 percent from the free-throw line. The Rockets won 44 games and were the fourth...

Deal of the Day , Salary cap rules may be bent but hopefully not broken. We already broke some. Today’s Deal: What Would a Danuel House Trade Look Like? Earlier in this series we wondered what former Wizard could be reacquired to help the 2021 team. Trevor Ariza isn’t walking through that door. This deal brings back another former Wizard and hopefully a better fit than the elder statesman Ariza. The Wizards trade guard Jerome Robinson and center Moritz Wagner to the Houston Rockets for wing Danuel House Jr. Why do the Rockets do the deal? You may not remember because it happened years ago last month, but House was ejected from the NBA Bubble for having an unauthorized guest in his room. This was quite the disruption to the Rockets, costing them their sixth-man for the rest of the series. The Rockets have to send a message by finding a new home for him. Shouldn’t be hard to do with a 6-7 wing who shot 36% from three-point range on 355 attempts last season. He was also favori...

Daryl Morey’s 13-year tenure as general manager of the Houston Rockets ended the way most things end: badly. The Rockets bowed out of the 2020 playoffs in the second round, falling to the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers in a gentleman’s sweep that didn’t feel all that close, with each of their final three losses coming by double digits. The next day, Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni informed the team that he would not seek a contract renewal and would instead enter the free-agent market. A month and two days later, Morey himself stepped down from his post — even after Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta had previously said the GM’s job was “safe.” Though the end was ugly, there were many successes on the journey. The Rockets posted the second-best record in the NBA during Morey’s tenure, winning 61.5 percent of their regular-season games. They made 10 playoff appearances and two trips to the conference finals, scoring the eighth-most playoff wins (51) of any team in the league along the wa...

Whoever said time heals all wounds wasn’t talking about sports, were they? I have always believed that metaphorical sports wounds cut deep and last forever. It is hard to imagine Texans fans welcoming Bill O’Brien back as head coach in, say, 2023. Then again, that is the case with some Rockets fans and apparently with owner Tilman Fertitta. On Texas Sports Nation: Tilman Fertitta says no reason to ‘blow up’ Rockets roster Former Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy accomplished less at Toyota Center than O’Brien did at NRG Stadium, yet he is the front-runner to become the franchise’s 14th head coach. Technically he would be the 13th, as this would be his second term. He also was the team’s 10th coach. No one, not even then-new general manager Daryl Morey, was shouting “Four more years!” when Van Gundy decided to step down in 2007. A decade-plus later, Houston loves Van Gundy. He is great in the community, insightful on television and hilarious on radio. I’d vote for him. I would no...

12:04 PM ET Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is stepping down effective Nov. 1, Morey and the team announced Thursday. In the aftermath of Houston's elimination from the NBA's restart in Orlando, Florida, Morey approached owner Tilman Fertitta with the idea of leaving the job, and the sides quietly worked through an exit agreement to conclude his 13 seasons running the franchise's basketball operations and 14 years overall with the team, sources said. Morey isn't ruling out a future return to the NBA on the team side, but he has become increasingly determined to explore what else might interest him professionally, sources said. Morey also saw an opportunity to spend time with two college-age children who are each taking a gap year academically during the coronavirus pandemic. Morey will remain in an advisory role for a short period to assist in the Rockets' completion of their head-coaching search, sources said. "After discussing my thoughts wi...

While the possibility of a new candidate can’t be ruled out just yet, it appears the Houston Rockets are satisfied with their current list of head coaching options to replace Mike D’Antoni. In Saturday’s Houston Chronicle update, Jonathan Feigen writes: They have focused entirely on former head coaches and top assistants. They have a mix of coaches with Finals appearances —Ty Lue and Jeff Van Gundy —up-and-coming assistants — Stephen Silas, Wes Unseld Jr. and David Vanterpool — and familiar faces — John Lucas, Kenny Atkinson and Van Gundy. They could expand the pool of candidates, a person with knowledge of the process said. But he also said that those involved in the hunt have liked what they have heard so far. New #Rockets at #TXSN – Rockets’ coaching candidates: a closer look https://t.co/gz9dPpL1zV — Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) October 10, 2020 Here’s a rundown of the former head coaches in that group: Lue : Head coach of Cleveland Cavaliers (2016-18) Van Gund...

The Houston Rockets found a hidden gem when they signed Jeff Green last season. Could David Nwaba have a similar trajectory? Jeff Green‘s NBA career seemed all but over before the Houston Rockets took a chance on him this season. The move more than paid off for both sides, as his game perfectly fit with the team’s needs. In another low-risk move, the Rockets’ signing of David Nwaba this season could lead to lightning striking twice. Nwaba has been on a similar path as Green leading to his signing with Houston. Green had bright moments with his last few teams but couldn’t make a lasting impression to ink a longer deal. Through 18 games with Houston this season, Green averaged 12.2 points on 56.4 percent shooting from the field and 35.4 percent accuracy from the outside. In the playoffs, Jeff improved his outside shooting even more, burying 42.6 percent of his shots. His 11.6 points per game were also the most he’s averaged in a single playoffs since his Boston days in 2012-13. At a...

Houston Rockets Austin Rivers (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images) With Doc Rivers no longer a coaching option for the Houston Rockets, there are several lessons the Rockets could take away from how the saga unfolded. The surprising addition of Doc Rivers to the 2020 free agent coaching class had the Houston Rockets salivating, as Rivers was easily the best coach on the market. The Rockets were instantly rumored as a potential destination, and rightfully so, as the Rockets should have been enamored with a championship coach. But the Philadelphia 76ers made Rivers their guy, as they instantly snatched him off the market, limiting the Rockets’ options. To add insult to injury, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey and franchise star James Harden didn’t expect to have to hire a head coach, as they each wanted to retain Mike D’Antoni’s services, and there was reportedly a plan in place to keep D’Antoni in Houston. With Rivers no longer in the fold, the Rockets must continue on with...

Eric Gordon #10 of the Houston Rockets (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) Eric Gordon’s inconsistent season for the Houston Rockets shows that it’s time to explore potential trade options, but dealing with his large contract means they may have to give up more. It’s safe to assume that Eric Gordon‘s tenure with the Houston Rockets has been successful thus far. Capturing the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award in 2017, Gordon contributed solid minutes for the team right off the bat. Then Gordon was moved to the starting unit and his inconsistencies were exposed. For example, in a game against the Utah Jazz earlier this year, Gordon scored 50 points. He followed it up by dropping eight points and going 1-for-8 from deep against the Portland Trail Blazers. Moving on from Gordon seems like the right move in the upcoming offseason, but last year he signed an extension with the Houston Rockets and will count for about $16 million against the cap this year. That makes trading him more t...

With Doc Rivers emerging as a candidate in the Houston Rockets’ coaching search, should the Rockets want Rivers to be the successor for the team? With the Houston Rockets‘ coaching search underway, Rockets GM Daryl Morey reportedly has interest in Kenny Atkinson, Tyronn Lue, Jeff Van Gundy, Sam Cassell, and now Doc Rivers. Rivers was just recently outed by the Denver Nuggets in a 3-1 comeback, which was the third time that has happened to him. However, if Morey decides to bring in Rivers, would this Rockets franchise be settling again? Honestly, Rivers isn’t a bad head coach, based on his resume in the NBA, which includes a 943-681 record, which is good for a .722 winning percentage. Doc won an NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008, who took down Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, and returned to the Finals in 2010, although they lost to Kobe’s Lakers within seven games during that Finals run. Doc was traded to the Clippers in 2011, where he guided them to relev...

The NBA bubble has been great theatre for a sports-starved fanbase, and the basketball has been tremendous. We've got a terrific, if unlikely, Finals matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat, the latter of which is the first No. 5 seed in NBA history to win a conference title.  You can see our expert picks for that series here. But the bubble did not go so well for a handful of other teams. The Clippers, Rockets and 76ers were all major disappointments in the playoffs, and as such, each of those teams subsequently parted ways with its coach. Doc Rivers is out with the Clippers. Brett Brown is done in Philly, as is Mike D'Antoni in Houston. In addition, the Pelicans cut ties with Alvin Gentry, Billy Donovan bounced from Oklahoma City and Nate McMillan was fired in Indiana.  Jacque Vaughn also lost his interim coaching gig with the Nets, who have since hired Steve Nash to take over. The Chicago Bulls job was also open, but it has since been filled b...

The Rockets are planning to interview a deep pool of candidates for their head coaching vacancy, and another high-profile name could be added to the list. Houston is reportedly interested in interviewing former Clippers head coach Doc Rivers, according to the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen. And it’s not hard to see why. Rivers is one of the NBA’s most accomplished coaches, amassing 943 regular-season wins and 16 playoff appearances in 21 seasons as a head coach. Rivers led the Celtics to the Finals in 2008 and 2010. He brought the Clippers to championship contention immediately upon his arrival in Los Angeles. Perhaps Rivers could be the final piece to take the Rockets over the top in the ninth year of the James Harden era. Rivers is far from the only candidate as Houston searches for a new head coach. The Rockets are reportedly set to begin interviewing candidates on Wednesday or Thursday, with Tyronn Lue, Jeff Van Gundy, Kenny Atkinson and Sam Cassell noted as potent...

The Los Angeles Lakers’ latest move has provided further proof of how the NBA has a bias against the Houston Rockets. The 2020 NBA playoffs were a disappointing one for the Houston Rockets, as the Los Angeles Lakers displayed that they weren’t legitimate contenders. The Lakers disposed of the Rockets within five games, and exposed the Rockets’ famed small ball approach. But the Lakers have exposed several other things, starting with the double standard about how James Harden’s displeasure about getting snubbed for the MVP is proof that he doesn’t care about winning a title. Lakers forward LeBron James made identical comments about the 2019-20 MVP result, and didn’t face any criticism. The Lakers’ latest move should provide further exoneration for the Rockets in the court of public opinion. With frustration regarding LeBron James not getting a favorable whistle from the referees, the Lakers went knocking at NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s door, to present their case and inquire about...

The Houston Rockets mortgaged most of their future in a trade to acquire Russell Westbrook last offseason, and then they traded away Clint Capela to solidify their new commitment to small-ball. After a disappointing playoff run and the departure of coach Mike D’Antoni, the Rockets may want to make a drastic move, such as trying to acquire Kevin Love. On the daily Locked On Rockets Podcast, host Jackson Gatlin discussed a 3-team trade scenario that would bring Love to Houston. Jackson Gatlin : This seems to happen every summer with the Houston Rockets. Fans want to try and pair James Harden with Kevin Love, the former Minnesota big man, the guy who was the third point in the triangle between LeBron James and Kyrie Irving during that Cleveland championship. Here’s the trade proposal for the Rockets to receive Kevin Love. It’s a three team trade proposal: Rockets receive Kevin Love, the Timberwolves receive Eric Gordon and Danuel House Jr., and the Cavaliers receive James Johnson, a ...

The Rockets backcourt will be shorthanded for at least another game with Russell Westbrook and Eric Gordon ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Kings. There had been optimism that Westbrook would return on Sunday after sitting out Thursday’s game against the Lakers with a bruised right quadriceps muscle, giving him four off days. But Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said Westbrook and Gordon would have enough time to be ready for the start of the postseason Aug. 17. “We just want to be really careful,” D’Antoni said. “I think both should be able to play a couple games before the playoffs. “We’ll deal with it, but they have time. They’ll get in two or three good practices and a couple games.” The Rockets will have three seeding games remaining after playing the Kings, but the games against the Spurs and Pacers will be in a back-to-back Tuesday and Wednesday which could keep players coming back from injuries out for one of those games. Westbrook had not played in both games of back-to...

Houston Rockets James Harden (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) The Houston Rockets look to continue their winning ways against the Sacramento Kings, who are hanging onto their playoff chances by a thread. Although the Sacramento Kings have lost four of their five games in Orlando, they will still have something to play for when they face the Houston Rockets on Sunday. Without Russell Westbrook or Eric Gordon, the Rockets can’t afford to overlook a struggling team. With the Portland Trail Blazers’ collapse against the LA Clippers on Saturday, the Kings are still mathematically in the race for the ninth seed in the Western Conference. This means that they’ll be fighting for their lives when they hit the court against James Harden and company. De’Aaron Fox has been lighting it up in the Orlando bubble, averaging 27.5 points, 7.0 assists and 1.8 steals through five games. His ability to get to the basket at will is definitely something the Rockets will need to pay clos...

Chris Paul #3, James Harden #13, Ryan Anderson of the Houston Rockets (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) Chris Paul #3, James Harden #13, Ryan Anderson #33 (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) Bleacher Report has proven time and time again to be uneducated on the Houston Rockets, but their latest gaffe was the icing on the cake. It’s become more and more obvious with each passing article that Bleacher Report struggles in their coverage of the Houston Rockets. Part of the problem is that the site has shown a blatant vendetta against the Rockets, and especially of late. From ranking Russell Westbrook as the 22nd-best player in the NBA, which is laughable at best, to speculating that the Rockets’ superstar duo of James Harden and Russell Westbrook won’t last beyond this season, it’s become amusing to see the site make a mockery of themselves. But in spite of the comic relief they’ve provided on those fronts, it gets worse for the “prominent site,” as their latest gaff...

Watch Now: Breakdown: Rockets Take Down Mavericks In OT, 153-149 ( 6:39 ) The Bucks and Rockets are polar opposites physically. Milwaukee dominates with size, rebounding and rim protection. Houston is perhaps the smallest team in NBA history, with the 6-7 Robert Covington serving as their tallest starter and the 6-5 PJ Tucker playing center defensively.  On Sunday, the two will face off in what should be a measuring stick game for both sides. While they are in different conferences and Milwaukee's place atop the Eastern Conference is assured, both will likely need to display some measure of versatility if they plan to reach the NBA Finals. A matchup like this, against an opponent that is so different stylistically, should serve as an important test for how both will deal with strategic curveballs when the playoffs arrive.  Ahead of their meeting on Sunday night, here's everything you need to know about Bucks vs. Rockets. How to Watch Date:  Sunday, Aug. 2 -- 8:3...