Houston Rockets
Red Rowdy Road Trip to New Orleans
“You gotta love that support. When you’re on the road and you come out of the hotel and see some of your fans cheering for you, it gives you a little extra juice for the game.“ – Matt Bullard
Published
14 years agoon
By
rocketgirl
“You gotta love that support. When you’re on the road and you come out of the hotel and see some of your fans cheering for you, it gives you a little extra juice for the game.“ – Matt Bullard
When traveling to road games, the presence of the Red Rowdies has a way of making the opposing fans around them respond by cheering louder for their own team. The same was true on Wednesday night in New Orleans. A group of 11 Rowdies, and a bunch of Rockets employees and Rockets season ticket holders, created a large presence of red in the New Orleans Arena. The upper bowl was nearly empty (which didn’t surprise me as I saw seats going for $2 on StubHub), but their lower bowl home crowd was loud.
This was the eighth home game for the Hornets Red Rowdy-like group, the Bee Zanies. Ironically, they sat directly across from us that night, something we did not know when we purchased tickets. The Rowdies were the first of its kind, and many other NBA teams have added their groups. From what I’ve been told, the NBA has encouraged all teams to start groups like the Red Rowdies.
We left immediately after the Kings game Tuesday night in order to make it to the Cashoutta Casino before 2 a.m., the latest they’d let us check in. On Mardi Gras night at the Toyota Center, coupons for a free night’s stay at Cashoutta Casino in Kinder, Louisiana were placed on all of the seats before the game, so we took advantage of those.
Kinder is almost exactly half way to New Orleans, which worked out perfectly. Before leaving for our road trip, we burned a New Orleans Hornet pennant and tied a noose around a stuffed animal bee, which was constantly hung out the window on our way to New Orleans. This road trip was a great way to get that awful feeling we were left with after the loss to the Kings off our minds. I had never felt so bad after a Rockets loss.
We left Kinder in the morning, stopped at a Subway, drove right to the French Quarter in New Orleans, and parked by the Rockets hotel. We were early, but we wanted to make sure that we didn’t miss any players like last time. Two busses pulled up. Rockets season ticket holders and employees poured out, most dressed in red. After those busses left, and the empty bus for the Rockets pulled up, we laid what remained of the charred New Orleans pennant and the now filthy plush Hornet right by the stairs of the bus for the players to stomp on.
I brought all sorts of stuff to get autographed, but the players seemed to be in a bigger rush this time to get to the arena, so most items were left unsigned. We asked all of the players to stomp on or kick the Hornet before boarding the bus and most of them did (Videos of that are in the comments section). It was great talking with some of the Rockets personnel and players before the game.
We “romped” a little around the French Quarter and had beignets at Café Du Monde, something we didn’t have time for on our last trip. We had some trouble with parking, and ended up entering the game a little late in the first quarter with the Rockets already up by 14 points. A wave of calm came over me when I saw that score. YES! This is going to be a blowout, I thought, or at least we will have a nice cushion just in case the Hornets go on a run.
I wore my spacesuit this time, which makes me now 0-3 with it on for Rockets road games. In the second quarter, the Hornets mascot came over and totally shocked us with some silly string. There was nothing we could do but just stand there and take it. As he walked down the stairs away from us, I started collecting all of the silly string around me, and throwing it back at him. I threw two or three handfuls, all falling short of him.
Less than a minute later, a security guard came up and threatened to throw me out for throwing it and said I was caught on camera. I asked why it was fair that he can shoot silly string at fans who did not agree to it, yet we can’t throw it right back at him. I didn’t get an answer and was told one more time if I threw something I would be thrown out. Getting hit with silly string by the mascot and getting talked to by security are on every away game road trip’s to do list.
The Bee Zanies came over to our section for a chant off at the end of the quarter, similar to what we did when the Baseline Bums and the Silver & Black Pack (two of the Spurs fan groups) visited the Toyota Center for the first home game against the Spurs on March 12. We were definitely outnumbered, but we started yelling, “Y’all copied us,” “We’re the originals” “Where are your banners?” They left and the guy in charge of the Bee Zanies came and spoke with us, saying he had come to some of the Rockets games to watch us and that he modeled their program after us. It was pretty neat to talk with him about their new program.
Our best in-game chants of the night were when Chris Paul was at the free throw line. We yelled, “New York,” “New York Knicks,” and “He wants out.” Hornets fans clearly HATED those chants. When Ariza air-balled a shot, we brought back the “You can have Ariza,” chant that was so effective last time. But, other than that air-ball, he had such a great game that it just couldn’t be said again.
As the Hornets took the lead, the fans became more and more vocal towards us. We just all stood and pointed with our left hand at their three banners: two retired jerseys and a southwest division title. Most of it was in good fun, but the people on the balcony above us were yelling some racist remarks at some of the Red Rowdies during the game. In all of my time as a Red Rowdy, both at home games and away games, NEVER have I witnessed fans using race to talk down fans of the opposing team.
That group of people did not represent the whole crowd of Hornets fans and that became apparent after the game. After we lost, we were contemplating whether we wanted to jet out of there to avoid conflict, or if we wanted to wait around until some people cleared out. We chose the second option.
Many fans who trashed talked to us during the game came up to us to shake our hands and told us what a great time they had with us here. I don’t imagine they see as many opposing fans in their arena as often as we do with so many displaced NBA fans living in Houston- especially Mavericks and Spurs fans. One guy in particular really hung around to talk to us. He shared with us how his sister now lives in Houston after Katrina. He told us to enjoy the city of New Orleans but to be careful. The last thing he told us before he left was, “If anyone gives you any trouble, tell them Houston took in a lot of the Katrina victims from New Orleans.” I couldn’t help but think of the connection that these two cities shared after that natural disaster and what an impact that man had on me. He was genuinely grateful for what the city of Houston did to help Katrina victims, and he thanked us as representatives of the city of Houston.
That and how kindly we were treated by others made it a lot easier to not be so upset after the loss and to actually be happy for New Orleans. Even the security guard who had threatened to throw me out was really friendly towards me as we left, saying he was just doing his job. We left the arena chanting “Beat LA” because we sincerely wanted the Hornets to beat LA, and it helped ward off the Hornets fans wanting to rub playoffs in our face.
We began the long trip back home right after the game and made a stop at one of the many Waffle Houses on the way. We were the only ones in there, and shortly after, four Rockets fans from Beaumont walked in. We had a Waffle House full of 15 Rockets fans. It was kind of a cool moment, and I always enjoy talking to other Rockets fans. We modified one of our own chants and started a, “Whose House? The Waffle House!” before leaving.
In my last post about Rowdy road trips, I mentioned that a trip to the Rio Grande Valley to watch the Vipers play was on my to-do list. Well, my wish has been granted because the Vipers contacted the Rockets asking that we be present at their playoff game tonight for game two of their three-game playoff series. They must have been impressed with us at the two games we went to in Austin. Unfortunately, the Vipers lost Game 1 to the Bakersfield Jam, so hopefully the Red Rowdies can help create a home court advantage tonight to keep the Vipers alive in the playoffs. The Rockets Power Dancers and Clutch the Bear will also be there.
Prior to last week’s loss to the Kings, we saw some of the best games of the season. It has truly been a real treat watching the Rockets push for the playoffs when the odds were against them. Even though the Rockets have been eliminated from the playoffs, I don’t doubt that we will still see them play with the same heart and determination the final three games of the season. With only two home games left, I’ll relish every moment as a Red Rowdy before I put away my spacesuit for the offseason.
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Houston Rockets
Looking Back on the Trade for Phoenix’s Draft Picks
Are the Rockets set to cash in on Phoenix’s downfall or could a Suns retool murky the waters?
Published
3 weeks agoon
March 12, 2025
As the Houston Rockets set to host the Phoenix Suns tonight, it seems the right time to take a look back at the trade that linked these two franchises together for the foreseeable future.
This past June, the Rockets made a trade with Brooklyn that sent back to the Nets control of their 2025 and 2026 unprotected first-round picks. In exchange, the Rockets received a large chunk of Phoenix’s future (2025, 2027, 2029) and control of the Dallas Mavericks’ 2029 first.
In essence, the Rockets traded one pick and one swap for two picks and two swaps. All unprotected.
Thoughts At The Time of the Trade
If I’m going to discuss the current outlook of this trade, I have to be honest about how I saw it at the time of the move. While I didn’t hate this trade initially, I definitely didn’t love it either.
I liked that the Rockets increased their overall trade assets. I also liked that they extended the timeline to be able to make a bigger trade and I also appreciated that they kept control of the 2027 Brooklyn swap.
But I didn’t like that the Rockets gave up what seemed like the more established value (Brooklyn) for a more uncertain gamble (Phoenix). The Rockets did not control a “tanking runway” of picks to offer back to Phoenix — all of the picks Houston got in the deal were in staggered years (’25, ’27, ’29). I also felt Brooklyn, who badly needed to rebuild, got away with paying market value to get their picks back despite the fact that the Rockets invested years in watching those picks appreciate up to the point that they had the Nets completely over a barrel.
Net-net: I felt like more certainty was traded for less certainty and it was more of an equitable trade for both teams rather than Brooklyn paying dearly to get back the things only the Rockets could offer.
There were two ways I thought this trade could pay dividends: The Suns needed to flame out immediately, as in this season (unlikely), or the Rockets could trade all those pick assets as part of a deal for a real superstar in the next 12-18 months (more likely).
In a testament to how quickly change can occur in a very unpredictable NBA, four things have happened that have been positive indicators for the Rockets in making this move.
The Suns are fading
While Phoenix had major salary cap issues, dealing with the second apron, they didn’t appear to have problems on the court. They jumped out of the gate 8-1 and looked like a legitimate contender behind their star trio of scorers in Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
Given Houston controlled Phoenix’s pick this year via a swap, it looked like the Rockets would come up empty-handed on the trade this season.
That changed quickly.
Injuries, serious depth concerns and a lack of a defensive identity has sent Phoenix spiraling. Booker’s availability has been inconsistent, forcing Durant to carry the load, while Beal has not quite fit in at all. Their financial limitations, thanks to owner Mat Ishbia’s all-in spending spree, have handcuffed their ability to improve the roster around the three stars.
The Suns are sitting 11th in the West, having gone 22-34 since that hot start, and are currently trying to catch a depleted Dallas squad to get back into the play-in picture.
As of right now, the Rockets project to end up with a lottery pick (albeit a late one) this season out of the trade.
Phoenix was caught shopping Durant
Because the Suns struggled so hard after the start, they tried to make a major move at the deadline but could not unload Beal, in large part due to his no-trade clause.
As a result, they may have made a misstep: They openly tried to trade Durant, which inevitably became public news.
Now? Durant will almost assuredly be traded this summer — likely to a destination that he handpicks. This means the Phoenix Suns will have to look at all possibilities for their future, including potentially having to give Rafael Stone and the Rockets front office a call.
But keep in mind, the Rockets can not offer Phoenix the ability to completely rebuild via the draft right now. Phoenix’s 2026 pick is controlled by Washington. They would have to get extremely creative to set that stage. A retool in Phoenix is much more likely.
Could Brooklyn have been better than expected?
This one is tougher to gauge.
The Brooklyn Nets are currently tied for fifth-worst team in the league, giving them strong lottery odds this summer. This was expected. After all, the Nets, even with a healthy Mikal Bridges and a full roster, were not a good team last season, closing the year 20-41 in the final three quarters of the season. The Rockets ended up with the #3 pick (Reed Sheppard) as a result of Brooklyn’s mediocrity.
However, if the Rockets had not placed that pick back in Brooklyn’s hands, would the Nets be better than this?
Brooklyn brought in a new coach in Jordi Fernandez that has had a positive impact. They have dumped off players, such as Dennis Schroeder and Dorian Finney-Smith, that impacted winning. The bar to make the play-in in the East (.415 winning percentage) is obscenely low, with Brooklyn being just five wins away from it at the moment.
And on top of that, Brooklyn did have lots of draft capital that they could have moved to try to win now.
It’s very tough to say as you don’t know if a team with Bridges still in Brooklyn might have actually been worse than this current squad, but you could make a case that the pick the Rockets would have ended up with from Brooklyn this season would be eerily similar to the one they will end up getting from Phoenix this year.
Again, this is a tough call.
Nico Harrison Hooked the Rockets Up
As part of the trade, the Rockets got control of the Dallas Mavericks’ 2029 first-round pick (unprotected, of course). While there’s really no way of knowing what a pick will be five years out, we did know that Luka Doncic would be just 29-30 years old that season and it was fairly etched in stone that he would be the core piece of a Dallas squad that season.
Enter chaos in Dallas.
Doncic was shipped out in the trade that shocked the world, which could have a major impact on the Rockets. Dallas’ current core of Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis will be 37 and 36 years old that season, respectively.
On paper, the value of that pick shot up.
Final Summary
Right now, the outlook on these picks looks strong. One source stated off the record that they feel the 2029 Phoenix pick is the best pick asset out there that is owned by another team. The Rockets would be reluctant to add that one specifically into any trade unless it’s for a truly legitimate star.
But if there is any lesson that the NBA teaches us over and over again, it’s that it’s very hard to predict where a team will be a year from now, much less three years from now.
Can the Rockets pressure Phoenix and leverage the ownership they have of their draft capital to get what they really want (Booker) from them? Could a Suns retool around Booker and Beal, with the right pieces and assets acquired from a Durant trade, significantly change their on-court outlook and cap sheet — which in turn could damage the value of the picks Houston controls?
Bottom line is it has worked out well this season, and the future forecast at the moment is promising. The current value of those future picks appears strong. What will likely determine history’s final grade for this trade will be how it sets them up for the trade to come, and that’s where fans will be looking to Stone and the front office for action starting this summer.
Houston Rockets
Amen Thompson’s ankle injury will be re-evaluated in one week
“The things he does you can’t replicate,” says Rockets coach Ime Udoka
Published
4 weeks agoon
March 10, 2025
Rockets young star Amen Thompson will have his ankle injury re-evaluated in one week, according to Ime Udoka.
Thompson had an MRI on Sunday and the Rockets coach confirmed all imaging (X-ray, MRI) was negative.
“Just some swelling and pain, obviously,” said Udoka.
If you listen to Udoka, you can tell he knows how special Amen is to this team. He said the Rockets are missing a lot by not having him out there.
“Obviously, the things he does you can’t replicate,” said Udoka. “[Amen is] a guy that plays every position for us. When one goes down, he runs the point. If another is out, he runs the four.”
Amen is one of the best defensive players in the game, and as a one-on-one defender of guards/wings, he might already be the best in the league in just his second season. He’s holding his opponents to 40.5% shooting from the field, tops in the league.
“He’s a very unique defensive player,” said Udoka. “We got some guys that do some great things there, but I like to put him and Dillon on the best two usually, night to night. You got Tari and that’s a luxury as well, but the way he goes about it is different. His athleticism, size, speed, strength, shotblocking ability, steals… he’s all over the place.”
“Hard to replicate for sure.”
Amen injured his ankle late Saturday night in a blowout win against the Pelicans, but the unfortunate part was he probably should not have been on the floor in the first place.
The Rockets left Amen Thompson in the game in a blowout to get one more rebound for a triple-double and he just got injured. He's heading to the locker room with a limp. https://t.co/UBtrEpgWuU pic.twitter.com/D8GeKP8sQk
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) March 9, 2025
The Rockets had built well over a 30-point lead by early fourth quarter. Jalen Green was able to rest the entire fourth. Alperen Sengun came out of the game with 7-8 minutes left while Dillon Brooks and Tari Eason came out with 6:00 left. But Thompson, who had posted an insane +39 on-off number, remained in the game because he was one rebound shy of a triple-double with 15 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds.
Udoka addressed that decision on Monday before the game against Orlando.
“What I typically don’t do is wholesale substitutions,” said Udoka of the decision to keep Amen in the game. “Albeit 30[-point lead] at six minutes [left] is different than losing to Minnesota, a 16-point lead with four minutes [left].”
“I’ve seen it go both ways in the past. You take out guys too early and have to bring starters back, and vice versa.”
Thompson has played in 60 games this season, five short of being eligible for postseason awards. He absolutely should be up for an All-Defensive nod this season so keep an eye on him getting back in time for that. He would need to return to action no later than April 4th for the game against the OKC Thunder in order to play enough games to be eligible.
Houston Rockets
How the Kyrie Irving Injury Impacts Rockets
Houston’s draft positioning and offseason plans could be impacted by Dallas
Published
1 month agoon
March 4, 2025
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving was injured Monday night and the news dropped on Tuesday that the knee injury is serious — a torn ACL in his left knee that will end his season and a good portion of next season as well.
Brutal. I can’t think of an NBA team that imploded faster than the Dallas Mavericks.
You trade away a 25-year-old phenom who just hoisted you on his back en route to the NBA Finals a year ago. You cashed in that golden ticket to go all-in on a trio of aging stars in Kyrie, Anthony Davis, and Klay Thompson.
Bold strategy, Nico. Let’s see if it pays off.
(Narrator: It’s not paying off.)
The Mavericks had some interesting potential this year and maybe the next couple of years once everyone was healthy, but now? Their star guard is likely out until the calendar year 2026 and Klay and AD aren’t getting any younger nor more durable. The Mavericks may have actually swapped their future for a present that never arrives — and Dallas GM Nico Harrison has to be feeling overwhelming pressure right now.
So how does this impact the Rockets?
For starters, Houston has a game remaining on the schedule against Dallas on March 14th at Toyota Center — Davis may or may not be back for that game.
More importantly, Dallas is the 10th seed in the West at the moment, just 3.5 games ahead of the Phoenix Suns (11th seed). The Rockets control Phoenix’s first-round pick unprotected this season via a swap. We need as many West teams as possible ahead of Phoenix to keep them out of the play-in/playoffs and to push them as deep into the lotto as possible.
This complicates that. Phoenix’s remaining schedule is the toughest in the NBA by a good margin, with plenty of games left against the league’s best teams, so it still looks promising overall — but we’re talking about Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. They can still get hot at the right time while Dallas may struggle.
So keep a close eye on that. The good news is the Portland Trail Blazers are one of the hottest teams in the league and they are (shockingly) nipping at the Arizona squad’s heels.
Taking a look ahead to the offseason, the Kevin Durant Pursuit will be big.
This one is a little more complicated for Houston. The Rockets really want Devin Booker but, as of now, the Phoenix plan appears to be to trade KD this offseason and retool around Booker. The Rockets will have interest in Durant but they’re not going to sell the farm (prospects and all the picks) for a 37-year old like they would for Booker.
Three teams that I’ve heard a lot about from Rockets circles that will be in the mix are Houston, Minnesota and Dallas — Timberwolves and Mavericks have been considered the main competition. But, a lot of this will depend on Durant himself and where he wants to play at this stage of his career.
Keep in mind also, if the Suns are “retooling” around Booker and Beal (holding the no-trade clause), then they could be placing a higher priority on win-now players over the return of their own draft assets. The Rockets definitely have the best assets overall to offer up in any trade package between those three teams, but if Phoenix does prefer finding the right ready-to-win players around Booker/Beal, that gives Dallas and Minnesota a real chance.
This injury “may” take Dallas out of the equation, and they are/were definitely a contender for KD’s services given his past relationship with Kyrie and the way Dallas was positioned to win right now. Does KD at his age want to wait for Kyrie to be healthy?
And one last friendly reminder: The Rockets control that Dallas 2029 first (unprotected).
Houston Rockets
Rockets Sign David Roddy to Two-Way Contract
Former first-round pick has played with the Grizzlies, Suns and Hawks
Published
1 month agoon
March 3, 2025
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.
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.
Houston Rockets
Houston a potential landing spot for Ben Simmons post-buyout?
Published
2 months agoon
February 6, 2025
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.
Brian Windhorst says the Cavaliers and Rockets are buyout locations for Ben Simmons.
Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/7ly4mvmxr5
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) February 6, 2025
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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.
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.