So Ron Artest is gone and Trevor Ariza is coming to Houston. I’m okay with that.

Ariza reminds me of a more athletic Robert Horry, and we all know how he helped the Rockets win a couple of rings. Both have shown they can hit big shots in the clutch, something the Rockets have needed.

If it turns out Yao is going to be hurt for all of next season, then the Rockets can’t build around Artest. He’s not a cornerstone player, and he’s not getting any younger. And as much as I liked him as a player, I was very disappointed how he never learned how to stop being a ballhog and jack up terrible shots. He is what he is.

Although Artest is going to sign for the mid-level exception with the Lakers for around $5-$6 million per year for 3 years, he would have cost a lot more to the Rockets (maybe $9 million/year for 3 years, if not more).

The Rockets can’t tie up that kind of money for an offensive liability as they try to retool for the future. Not for a 40% shooter. I actually think Artest is going to disrupt the offensive chemistry on the Lakers, as this Yahoo article points out, but that’s their problem. Regardless, it will be interesting to see how it all plays out in LA-LA land.

Hopefully what we’ll see this coming season, if Yao is out, is that this is a “David Robinson year” for the Rockets. You may remember about 12 years ago the Spurs were a decent team, but then Robinson got hurt for almost the entire year, they ended up in the lottery, and got Tim Duncan. Robinson came back, and that’s when the championships ultimately ensued.

In the meantime, I don’t think the Rockets are going to tank too bad this season. They’ve got good players like Ariza, Brooks, Landry, Lowry, and Scola, and that’s not even taking into account their draft picks. They aren’t chopped liver, they are still going to be fun to watch under an Adelman offensive system that won’t be disrupted by Artest’s ball-stopping, and they could still sign a serviceable center. And don’t forget that Joey Dorsey could evolve into being a defensive presence they need down low. They are definitely going to be more athletic, and that’s always fun to watch.

Finally, if Yao can come back during the season, the Ariza acquisition may end up being a nice compliment to the Rockets, Horry-style.

This entry was posted on Friday, July 3rd, 2009 at 10:01 am and is filed under Rockets' off-season. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.