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Houston Rockets

Houston Rockets – 44 Years of Tradition

If you haven’t been to a Houston Rockets game this season, you really need to go. The bar on the production value has been raised each season and the pregame videos alone are worth the price of admission.

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14 years ago

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Yao Ming and Ron Artest - Houston Rockets 44 Years of TraditionIf you haven’t been to a Houston Rockets game this season, you really need to go. The bar on the production value has been raised each season and the pregame videos alone are worth the price of admission.

The Rockets have been doing a “Years of Tradition” video celebrating the franchise’s great moments and players since the 2006-07 season (the team’s 40th anniversary). It was an outstanding piece accompanied by Hans Zimmer music (See: 41 Years of Rockets Tradition video), and each year it’s been the same video with some tweaks to accomodate each season’s new roster.

This year the Rockets put together a brand new one, and I think they topped their previous work. They created a 5-minute clip, putting past and present Rockets highlights to Aerosmith’s “Dream On”, and did a fantastic job making it look like every Rocket, from Elvin Hayes to Chuck Hayes, is on the same team.

Here’s my amateur filming of it:

A few thoughts:

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  • With all the injury issues with Yao Ming and talk of it “being over,” it’s too painful to watch clips from his rookie year, including this exchange against Shaquille O’Neal (0:23). So much promise. And yes… I’m still clinging to the dwindling hope of a strong comeback.

  • I was sitting three seats away from Calvin Murphy when his photo popped up (0:51).

  • They got the big Bostjan Nachbar exchanges with Karl Malone from the 2004 playoffs — Malone undercutting Boki (1:36) and Nachbar’s postal worker-disgruntling block (4:09) on Malone.

  • Ralph Sampson hook shot against the mighty Boston Celtics from the 1986 NBA Finals (2:06). If you’re too young to have seen Sampson play, I recommend going back and watching a 7-foot-4 wonder go to work. And you thought injuries cut Yao’s career short.

  • I love that they used Rodney McCray‘s fast break dunk from the first round of the 1986 playoffs against the Kings (2:11). Big fan of Rodney’s back in the day.
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  • That slow-motion shot of Clyde Drexler running back after his dunk past Dennis Scott in Game 3 of the 1995 NBA Finals (2:24), with a pumped-up Mario Elie in the background, gets me every time.

  • Two thumbs up for their use of Ron Artest in the video. Perfect usage when he flexes (2:30), his crazy dance back up the court after a shot (3:00) and getting in Kobe Bryant’s face (3:12). He had offensive flaws that were hard to overcome, but I just miss the guy in a Rockets uniform.

  • If you don’t pay attention you miss it, but there’s a friendly hug/exchange between Rudy Tomjanovich and Rick Adelman (2:31).

  • Michael Cooper beware… Lewis Lloyd is coming for you (2:33)

  • Not one but two shots of the hand signal used for the Rockets three-pointers in 2004-05, shown by Bobby Sura and Jon Barry (2:33). That was the only year the team used it. If I was to rank “funnest” seasons since ClutchFans started, I’d rank the 04-05 team as #2 behind only the opening season of 1996-97.
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  • Homage paid to the 13 points in 33 seconds from Tracy McGrady (2:37). When this came on, I looked down at the Pistons, who were warming up in the layup lines. McGrady stopped for a few seconds and looked up to watch it. So did some of his teammates. And his dunk over Shawn Bradley (3:45) is something I could watch all day.

  • Steve Novak‘s lone contribution to the Houston Rockets: His game-winning three against the Sacramento Kings (2:54) that kept the winning streak alive. “It’s on Novak!”

  • Moochie Norris. This video wouldn’t have been complete without the ‘fro (3:11).

  • Only fitting that Hakeem Olajuwon gets an extended tribute (3:17), precisely timed when the “Dream On” chorus kicks in. Not really much to add to that.

  • With each passing year, we will learn to appreciate the 22-game winning streak (3:47) more and more. The NBA is just so competitive these days that it’s not likely to be something we will ever see again. It was probably McGrady’s finest hour as a Rocket as he carried the Rockets without Yao for the second half of the run and was even getting some MVP play from the Houston Chronicle — but it was also the beginning of the end. His decline happened rapidly, starting at the tail end of that streak.

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Armed with a bizarre fascination for Mario Elie and a deep love of the Houston Rockets, Dave Hardisty started ClutchFans in 1996 under the pen name “Clutch”.

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Houston Rockets

Rockets Sign David Roddy to Two-Way Contract

Former first-round pick has played with the Grizzlies, Suns and Hawks

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15 hours ago

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March 3, 2025

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David Roddy Houston Rockets

The Rockets made a move on Monday, signing former first-round pick David Roddy to a two-way contract.

The two-way spot opened up after the front office signed Jeenathan Williams to a standard four-year, $8.2 million contract (with friendly team options all along the way).

Roddy is 6-foot-5 and 250+ pounds but sports a 6-foot-11 wingspan. He was taken with the 23rd pick in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft — six selections after the Rockets drafted Tari Eason. A standout in college, Roddy averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game during his junior season at Colorado State.

Roddy, who turns 24 later this month, is a physical player who can play multiple positions. He’s a solid rebounder for his size/position. He has played in 165 games over three seasons with the Grizzlies, Suns, Hawks and most recently Sixers, averaging 6.2 points and 2.9 rebounds per game.

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The guard/forward has not shown efficient shooting, however — he’s a career 30.5% three-point shooter and just 68.4% from the line. His defense is better inside than out.

Ultimately, it will be those two things — three-point shooting and defense — that will determine his chances of carving out a consistent role in the league.

All in all, it’s a low-risk signing and the Rockets get a look at a prospect that fits their age timeline.

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Houston a potential landing spot for Ben Simmons post-buyout?

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4 weeks ago

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February 6, 2025

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Ben Simmons Houston Rockets

ESPN NBA analyst Brian Windhorst said on Thursday’s NBA Trade Deadline show that Brooklyn Nets forward Ben Simmons is working on a buyout and the Houston Rockets is a potential landing spot for him.

“Cleveland and Houston are two situations for Ben Simmons,” said Windhorst.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka was an assistant coach in Philadelphia in 2019-20 when Simmons was with the Sixers, before injuries took a significant toll. In fact, Udoka, when speaking about Amen Thompson earlier this season, brought up some comparisons to Simmons.

“The skill set is there, and it’s something that’s unique with his speed, athleticism, size, passing ability, and all those things,” said Udoka of Thompson. “I coached somebody, Ben Simmons, who had similar traits… as far as size and ability to push the pace, and find guys and finish. There are some similarities there.”

Both Thompson and Simmons are known for their elite athleticism, defensive versatility, and ability to create opportunities in transition.

However, can Simmons help the Rockets today? That’s the tough question.

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Simmons has played in 33 games this season, averaging 6.2 points, 6.9 assists, 5.2 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.5 blocks in 25 minutes a night. He does not shoot threes (like, at all) — he has only attempted two threes in the past three seasons combined.

Ideally, he does not play in front of your young forwards of Amen, Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. and on that basis alone, I think I would pass. But, Ime loves defensive dogs and he could use some extra ballhandling on the roster. You can see that there’s little in the way of offensive organization when Fred VanVleet is out.

There would be a comical full circle moment though if the Rockets did sign Ben Simmons, considering the Rockets were heavily criticized for trading James Harden in 2021 to Brooklyn instead of to Philadelphia for Simmons. The Rockets clearly made the right choice there.

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Rockets pick up another second-round pick in deal with Hawks

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4 weeks ago

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February 6, 2025

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Cody Zeller

The Houston Rockets are working the phones to do a little more asset management.

After acquiring a second-round pick from Boston to take on Jaden Springer’s salary, the Rockets made another similar move, absorbing the contract of Cody Zeller this season to get back a 2028 second-round pick.

Ironically, that pick is Houston’s own 2028 second-round pick that the Rockets sent to Atlanta in 2023.

The Rockets waived Springer to make roster room for Zeller. They will likely do the same with Zeller in order to make room for a buyout signing in the coming days or weeks.

It’s a small move but it’s another good one on the margins. These second-round picks add up. The two the Rockets got in the past couple of days — Boston’s 2030 second and Houston’s own 2028 second — could be eventually combined in a deal that nets the Rockets a solid role player down the line. Houston did exactly this last season when they acquired Steven Adams from Memphis.

So quick grade? Easy A. Solid asset management work by Rockets GM Rafael Stone and credit to Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta for being willing to spend millions just to get some extra seconds.

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Rockets Pick Up Jaden Springer, Second-Round Pick in Trade with Celtics

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4 weeks ago

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February 5, 2025

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Jaden Springer Houston Rockets

The NBA Trade Deadline is just over 24 hours away but the Houston Rockets have already made a move.

OK, it’s not that kind of move, but Rafael Stone and the front office did make a trade on the margins on Wednesday, picking up Jaden Springer and a 2030 second-round pick from Boston.

The Rockets leveraged their open roster spot and salary situation to take the contract of Springer off the hands of the Celtics, who are saving a ton in luxury tax payments by making the move. It’s smart business by the Rockets, who are doing this for a second-round pick in 2030.

Now, usually a Celtics second-round pick is not worth much, but this is five years out so it’s a quality asset as far as seconds go. In today’s NBA, these kinds of picks have grown in value as key assets for being in a position to land solid role players. With the Rockets planning on being a playoff team for the next several years, this addition could prove useful in addressing future roster needs.

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This trade framework between Houston and Boston may not be new to you. If you watched or listened to the ClutchFans Podcast on Monday, David Weiner, aka BimaThug, literally called out this exact possibility of the Rockets taking on Springer and landing a second-round pick.

As for Springer himself, this was a player I liked quite a bit in the 2021 NBA Draft and I wanted the Rockets to take him at the Josh Christopher spot. He has not quite panned out just yet. He’s got good size for a point guard (6-foot-4, 200 pounds) but is not a strong playmaker and has not been incredibly accurate as a shooter (25.0% from three).

But he does have good defensive potential. Does that get Ime Udoka’s attention at all? Possibly, but the Rockets likely will get an end-of-the-bench look at him for the rest of the season before his contract expires this offseason.

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Podcast: Doncic to Lakers, Fox to Spurs and the Trade Deadline for the Houston Rockets

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4 weeks ago

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February 3, 2025

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Luka Doncic Traded To Lakers, De'Aaron Fox Traded to Spurs, Rockets Trade Deadline and Impact

Luka Doncic traded to the Lakers? De’Aaron Fox traded to the Spurs?

What a crazy few days it has been, and the NBA trade deadline (Feb 6) hasn’t even arrived yet. The league is already turned upside down, so what does this mean for the Western Conference and the Houston Rockets?

Join Dave Hardisty and David Weiner on this episode of the ClutchFans Podcast as they break down:

  • The shocking Luka Doncic trade to the Lakers
  • Could the Rockets have had a legit chance at Luka?
  • How De’Aaron Fox changes San Antonio’s future
  • The Rockets owning Dallas’ 2029 first-round pick
  • What the Rockets could do at the NBA trade deadline
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The podcast premieres at 7:30am CT! Come join us!



CLUTCHFANS PODCAST: SPOTIFY | APPLE

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