Houston Rockets Daily Rocket Science: Looking Ahead Not Back

In the Daily Rocket Science SCS takes a look at the Houston Rockets news and notes from around the web

The Houston Rockets are a week removed from an embarrassing elimination by the Warriors, but some critics are still wondering what went wrong in Clutch City this season.

The latest installment of “What Happened To the Rockets”  comes from the Youtube channel The Young Turks. In which TYT’s sports analysts Jason Rubin and Francis Maxwell analyze the disappointments and dysfunction in Houston this season.

Like most analysts, Rubin and Maxwell pondered the moves Houston could make during the offseason? As well as the potential departure of Dwight Howard. Although losing Howard this summer is a critical loss, there is a huge possibility that Houston may lose another big man.

Remember a guy named Terrence Jones? During the 2014-15 season, Jones became a valuable member of the team. Heading into the season, there were some high expectations for Jones. Hoops Habit named him one of the top 25 players under 25 years old. In Septemeber, I considered T-Jones the Rockets’ X-Factor.

Unfortunately, next to Ty Lawson, Jones may have been the most disappointing player this past season. Now after appearing in only 50 games, Ethan Rothstein of the Dream Shake examined the bizarre and inevitable end of Terrence Jones in Clutch City.

"He’d played most of his rookie year in the D-League as Harden emerged as a superstar and the Rockets squeaked into the playoffs as an 8-seed before falling to the Thunder. The next year, he started 71 games and averaged 12 points, 7 rebounds playing next to Dwight Howard. The pair had some spacing troubles, but Jones had a clear future as a starting power forward if he worked to extend his range. Then LaMarcus Aldridge happened, and an unblemished rosy outlook took a big lump."

While everyone is trying to figure out what Houston’s roster will look like next season, Daryl Morey’s top priority is finding a head coach. No one will sign nor stay in Houston unless a head coach is hired soon.

Over the past two weeks, speculations regarding Houston’s next head coach have taken over the Rockets news. With so many potential coaches on the market, Calvin Watkins of ESPN has taken a look at Houston’s top 10 coaching candidates.

"The Houston Rockets are expected to begin interviewing candidates this week for their vacant head-coaching job. As of last Friday, general manager Daryl Morey said the team hadn’t interviewed any candidates, including interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff. Here’s an unofficial list of 10 coaches the Rockets might look at."

Watkins’ list includes some great candidates like Vinny Del Negro, Frank Vogel, and oddly enough JB Bickerstaff. However, their best option at this moment is still Jeff Van Gundy.

If the Rockets can reunite with Van Gundy Houston’s defense would improve automatically, and one would presume their offense as well given how poorly they played this season. With Van Gundy coaching, expect Houston’s offense to evolve beyond James Harden.

Next: Three Lessons To Take From Houston Rockets Elimination

Next: James Harden Meme Mirrors Houston Rockets Season

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