In some respects, the Rockets have been among the NBA’s most stable franchises for the greater part of the past decade. Houston has logged eight straight playoff appearances in the James Harden era, reaching at least the conference semifinals in four consecutive seasons. Mike D’Antoni and Daryl Morey engineered a system uniquely suited for their superstar. They doubled down on their strategy when others would have retreated, often to great success. Both architects are now gone. The franchise faces a potential crossroads, with the back-half of Harden’s prime now at stake.
It’s worth briefly looking back at Morey’s tenure with the Rockets before examining the team he’s left behind.