The Houston Rockets launched a rebuild right after James Harden's departure. They tried to salvage the season with Victor Oladipo, DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall and others, but soon realized that was a lost cause. They are now investing in young talent, and aiming for another high draft pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
The Rockets ended last season with the worst record in the league (17-55). That helped them get their hands on arguably the best scorer in the 2021 NBA draft class, Jalen Green. He is an early favorite for the 2022 Rookie of the Year award.
The Houston Rockets have many young players and only a handful of veterans who might end up moving either before or during the upcoming season. On that note, here's a look at the Houston Rockets' roster and key dates heading into the 2021-22 NBA season:
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Houston Rockets' roster for the 2021-22 NBA season
One could say the Houston Rockets have handled their rebuilding well so far. They have a blossoming talent in Kevin Porter Jr. who is now paired up with Jalen Green in the backcourt.
Christian Wood is establishing himself as a talented center, and was in the Most Improved Player discussion last season. They also drafted Alperen Sengun, Josh Christopher and Usman Garuba in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Here is the Houston Rockets' roster for the 2021-22 NBA season:
Matthew Hurt was their second two-way contract player, but was waived two days ago. DJ Wilson was traded to the Houston Rockets as a part of the PJ Tucker deal. But he remains unsigned during the ongoing offseason, and is a free agent.
Meanwhile, John Wall is on the trading block, and is likely to play for a new team next season. He has agreed to be a part of training camp, but will reportedly not participate in any preseason or regular-season games.
The NBA rule allows teams to have 15 players on their roster along with two players on two-way contracts. So the Rockets' roster is likely to shake up before the regular season begins as they trade or waive their older players while looking for their second two-way contract player.
Key dates for Houston Rockets entering the 2021-22 NBA season
Media Day: September 27th, 2021 - Monday.
Training Camp Start Date: September 28th, 2021 - Tuesday.
Season Opener: Houston Rockets vs Minnesota Timberwolves (October 20th, 2021 - Tuesday, 8:00 PM ET).
The Houston Rockets' season opener is against the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center. Their home opener is on October 22nd against the OKC Thunder.
Houston Rockets' preseason schedule and dates
Coach Stephen Silas has to figure out the depth and the rotations ahead of the upcoming 2021-22 NBA season. Considering that the Rockets have a young group, they will, in all likelihood, play in the preseason games. So the fans can get a glimpse of how their next season could pan out
Here is the Houston Rockets' preseason schedule:
The Rockets have just four games in their preseason schedule, with two at home and two on the road. Their official TV broadcast schedule is not out yet, but we predict that the home broadcast channel of the Rockets, Bally Sports Southwest, will cover their preseason games.
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