2012-13 NBA Preview: Houston Rockets

By Kels Dayton
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Updated: October 15, 2012

15. Houston Rockets

HOW THEY CAN WIN: If Linsanity becomes scientific law and not just a passing phenomenon, the Rockets may have a chance. Beyond that, this roster doesn’t look like it have what it takes to compete. Lin will have to make the transition from unheralded bench guy who made good to big-money superstar and unquestioned leader. It’s not going to be easy. Still, there are a group of talented young players in draft picks Jeremy Lamb, Royce White, and Terrence Jones, and undrafted rookie Scott Machado, who (you heard it here first)–will be a player in the NBA. The nation’s leading assists man at Iona had a game-high 11 in the team’s first preseason game in just 23 minutes of action.

WHY THEY WON’T: Hey Astros fans, how about six more months of the same? This team is painfully young, with the eldest statesman being 30-year old shooting guard Carlos Delfino. The average age of the Rockets is a ridiculously young 24 years old.

FINAL DESTINATION: Kevin McHale better hope that he has a long leash, because this team doesn’t have much chance to compete this season. Still, if the rookies come together, the future could be bright.

OUR CALL: 15-67. The Rockets will take their lumps in Year 1 of this rebuilding project.

TEAM ROSTER
NO.	NAME	POS	AGE	HT	WT	COLLEGE	2012-2013 SALARY
3	Omer Asik	C	26	7-0	255		$8,374,646
40	Jon Brockman	F	25	6-7	255	Washington	$1,000,000
10	Carlos Delfino	G	30	6-6	230		$3,000,000
15	Toney Douglas	G	26	6-2	185	Florida State	$2,067,880
0	Gary Forbes	G	27	6-7	220	Massachusetts	$1,500,000
5	JaJuan Johnson	F	23	6-10	221	Purdue	$1,089,240
6	Terrence Jones	F	20	6-9	252	Kentucky	$1,485,000
1	Jeremy Lamb	G	20	6-5	180	Connecticut	$2,020,200
7	Jeremy Lin	G	24	6-3	200	Harvard	$8,374,646
8	Shaun Livingston	G	27	6-7	175		$3,500,000
14	Scott Machado	G	22	6-1	205	Iona	$473,604
12	Kevin Martin	G	29	6-7	185	Western Carolina	$12,439,675
2	Marcus Morris	F	23	6-9	235	Kansas	$1,905,360
20	Donatas Motiejunas	F	22	7-0	222		$1,361,400
25	Chandler Parsons	F	23	6-9	227	Florida	$888,250
54	Patrick Patterson	F	23	6-9	235	Kentucky	$2,096,760
4	Greg Smith	C	21	6-10	250	Fresno State	$762,195
30	Royce White	F	21	6-8	260	Iowa State	$1,645,440