As Houston fans, we get it; every NBA fan who didn’t suffer through a 17-55 season, with their team blowing up less than a month in, doesn’t get the importance of the NBA Summer League. Frankly, it’s been almost 20 years since Houston cared much about Summer League. But the Houston Rockets have had a successful summer that is, with the end of Las Vegas Summer League, coming to a close.
The Houston Rockets are coming off of just their fourth losing season since they drafted Hakeem Olajuwon in 1984. Much like that summer, and the summer of 2002 with Yao Ming, the Houston Rockets used their off-season to flip the switch immediately. Houstonians and Rockets fans are not used to losing, and the franchise does not do long, process-oriented turnarounds.
So did this summer do the trick?
This summer, the Houston Rockets looked to gain a combination of youth and professional experience at the same time. The Rockets spent three of their four first-round picks on Draft Night on players with top-end professional talent outside of the NBA. They took Alperen Sengun, 19-year-old Turkish League MVP. Defensively, the Rockets added Usman Garuba, who won the Spanish equivalent of Rookie of the Year in the top Spanish Men’s league. But the draft was highlighted by the number two overall selection of G League Ignite headliner Jalen Green.
It’s truly a draft unlike any other. We’ve seen teams have international heavy drafts but rarely does that mean a bunch of players this young. We’ve seen teams go with all young players, but it’s typically guys who fans have had a lot of time studying here in the United States. But Houston tried to straddle the line.
Houston’s roster is full, and interesting, for next season. The Rockets have veteran leadership in the backcourt with guys like Eric Gordon, DJ Augustin, and John Wall. In the frontcourt, they have a handful of players in their older 20’s that are more fully formed like Christian Wood, Jae’Sean Tate, and Danuel House. And throughout the rest of the roster? They have more than a half dozen players 21-years-old and younger with all the potential in the world.
It’s weird construction of a roster, with only one real option. If John Wall, Eric Gordon, and DJ Augustin are willing to take on the Udonis Haslem role, the young ‘kets may really grow into something. Each of those vets has tremendous experience to teach from, and are the younger Rockets watched John Wall as fans growing up.
Summer League Successes
The Houston Rockets’ Summer League success shouldn’t be glossed over. If anything, a successful NBA Summer League demonstrates just how deep this young team is. The Rockets feature a large number of players that are 25-years-old or younger. Thus, seeing big game performances out of the likes of Armoni Brooks is welcomed. Obviously, Houstonians want to see their U of H Cougar shine for the hometown team. But even if the Texan doesn’t make it long-term, having good and valuable players early in their career is important.
For the Rockets, having Brooks’ shooting will be important. His release has sped up in his lone year in the NBA, and every team needs shooting. Specifically, a team with young guards that have star potential but rely on attacking the cup off the bounce. Houston has a lot of things, but seeing Brooks shoot the ball at that level, with little preparation after coming out of the health and safety protocol, may have been enough for him to make the roster.
Adding shooting is key for any team, but it will allow the Rockets young creators to experiment against defenses that can’t over-help or break rotation. Having sharpshooters on the floor opens up lanes for Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr.
A 77?
NBA 2K ratings are not everything, but they certainly carry weight with NBA players. Some video game experts watch games, compare notes, and very literally grade the players on each of their individual skills. It’s hard for that not to feel personal- especially when those skills are your life’s work. It is just a video game for the rest of us, but for pros? It’s confirmation of their hard work… unless it’s an indictment. For one particular Houston Rocket, it was the latter.
After being traded to the Houston Rockets last year, Kevin Porter Jr. leaped from 10 points and 2.2 rebounds to 16.6 and 6.2 respectively. Being thrust into a primary creator brought out the same version of Porter Jr. that was a highly touted prospect at 18-years-old before he had issues off the floor. Since his role was elevated, Porter clearly demonstrated he has the potential to be a great guard in the NBA. Time and time again he dominated games both in his own scoring and in creating for others- most notably in his 50 point and 11 assist performance against the eventual NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks.
It’s not that Porter Jr. is an underrated and fully formed professional yet. He has plenty of development left before his “final 2K ratings.” But that he had a lower rating than a handful of rookies after having such clear growth is disheartening. All of the work, both on the floor and between his ears, wasn’t recognized. And that would infuriate any 21-year-old, much less one with as much competitive drive as Porter Jr.
What has to have Rockets’ fans excited is his attitude; where the KPJ of old would have gone on a tirade, 21-year-old Porter Jr. kept the response to a pair of tweets and is going to show Ronnie 2K on the floor next season. And, much like his last year, that demonstrates growth.
Tell ‘em Make Me a Grill
.@JalenGreen is ICED OUT ?? @brhoops
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 20, 2021
(via zofrost/IG) pic.twitter.com/AJjrRns25x
If you don’t understand Houston, this part probably makes very little sense to you. After signing his first NBA contract, rookie Jalen Green went to ZoFrost and got himself a grill. For the uninitiated, this is not a “Weber” or a “George Foreman” grill. Jalen Green got a diamond-filled accessory to brighten up his smile. Yes, it’s completely unnecessary.
And yes, it’s fantastic.
Grill’s are directly tied to the city of Houston. While they popped up in less than a handful of artists in the ’90s, Grills were a status symbol in Houston-based hip hop in the early 2000s. Paul Wall, Mike Jones, Slim Thugg, and others. It’s Dirty South hip hop in a single, ostentatious piece of jewelry.
But Green’s big purchase isn’t the “distraction” many writers insinuate. Nor is it some poorly spent money by a silly teenager. Green is connecting himself to the culture of his new hometown. Houston is a city of Grills, and now Jalen Green fits in. The diamond accessory came after Green made comments about the city of Detroit.
“I wanted to be the No. 1 pick, but as for the location, I didn’t want to be in Detroit,” Green said. “I felt a lot more comfortable in Houston. It felt like a real homie environment. It felt like I was just going back to the G League bubble, and I just got out of the bubble with Detroit. That’s pretty much what it was.”
In the interview with Chris Haynes, Green continued, “I wouldn’t be stepping outside in Detroit. There are not many things you can do in Detroit like that. You’re going to stay in the gym and then go back to your apartment.”
There is no love lost. Detroit fans responded predictably upset. Fans jumped to a singular summer league play, called his opinions a misconception, and fell back on “we didn’t want you either!” This omits all of the rumors that Detroit liked Green, and that the Pistons contemplated trading back for assets if they could also take Green… but facts rarely override fandom.
Regardless, Green is happily in Houston. And the feeling is mutual. As for Green’s adopting of Houston, much like his short shorts and bell-bottom pants, it is an ode to the not-so-distant past. In the words of Paul Wall, he “put [his] money where [his] mouth is, and bought a grill.”
For more on sports, sneakers, and fandom, follow me @painsworth512 for more. Give our podcast “F” In Sports a listen wherever you listen to podcasts! Be sure to check our NEW weekly basketball show, The Midweek Midrange, on YouTube,Twitter, and Instagram!
?NEW POD?
— “F” in Sports (@FinSports2) August 24, 2021
This week, @painsworth512 is joined by NYT Best Seller @mirinfader of the @ringer! They break down her biography on Giannis, his story, #FearTheDeer first title, & profiling athletes.
“Mirin Fader”
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? https://t.co/1WfLs4W4mH pic.twitter.com/lWcLMg30mw
