The Houston Rockets are now locked into the core of James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Eric Gordon for the foreseeable future. Question is, will it be good enough in the Western Conference?
It couldn’t have been a shock when the Houston Rockets elected to trade Chris Paul this summer. The fact that the deal netted them Russell Westbrook could’ve been. However, it falls right into what we know from Daryl Morey. He’s a general manager that isn’t afraid to pull the trigger, especially when his current system isn’t working.
So after taking somewhat of a step back in 2018-19, the Rockets predictably made a big move. And while there will be questions about whether the duo of Russell Westbrook and James Harden will work when it matters most all season long, you also have to wonder if their core three is good enough to compete with the rest of the contenders in the Western Conference.
And after extending Eric Gordon this weekend – reportedly to a three-year, $54.5 million deal (per ESPN) – the Rockets are now locked into the top three of Westbrook, Harden, and Gordon for the foreseeable future – with Clint Capela flanking.
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Is that enough to overtake a team like the Los Angeles Lakers with LeBron James and Anthony Davis or the Los Angeles Clippers with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George? Don’t count out the up-and-coming Utah Jazz either, led by Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and (now) Mike Conley.
The Denver Nuggets might be the best team that no one is really giving a shot to win the NBA Championship in 2019-20.
Many will argue that the Rockets probably should’ve been the team to knock off the Warriors last season, considering they nearly pulled off the feat against a much healthier team (with Kevin Durant) a year ago. However, Houston could not get the job done even without Durant in the lineup.
Paul looked like a shell of his former self for much of the season, when he was healthy, and Harden simply ran out of gas late in that series. Eric Gordon had his moments, but is not necessarily the player that you want as your go-to second-option against a team as talented and loaded as the Warriors.
There’s really no questioning Harden. We know what he is as a player and know that he’s a full-blown superstar. He won the NBA MVP two years ago and arguably (possibly, depending on who you ask) should’ve won it last season. He’s going to average close to 30 points per game for the foreseeable future and is going to be the do-it-all offensive wizard that the team needs to make a deep run in the postseason.
His supporting cast has always been the team’s biggest weakness. While it has evolved from Dwight Howard a few years ago to Russell Westbrook, there are still some major questions about his running mate.
Gordon will excel, as he has the last few seasons, as the team’s third option. He wasn’t made to be a No. 2 and having to do that last season in Paul’s absence and struggles didn’t maximize this team’s ceiling. The Rockets know that Gordon could give them on the offensive side of the ball, shooting, and playmaking, and are more than comfortable with him as the team’s third option playing off Harden and Westbrook.
The big question for this team is whether Westbrook and Harden will work together. Heading into the season, after the acquisitions that the team has made during the offseason, you can make the argument that the Rockets’ season will come down to the relationship between the two.
With Gordon locked in for the next four years, the Rockets now have a set core moving forward. Is it good enough, though?