Rockets miss rare opportunity thanks to surprising Damian Lillard twist

There was some hope that the Houston Rockets would sign Damian Lillard. Now, he's rejoined the Trail Blazers, and the Rockets will miss out on a unique opportunity.

It's a storybook ending for Lillard's brief foray into free agency. In 10 years, images of him in a Bucks uniform will be jarring.

"Oh, right! That happened!".

Now, it's over. Lillard returns to his rightful NBA home.

He will not be a Rocket.

Rockets could have used Lillard

Let's be honest - this was always a pipe dream. If Lillard didn't return to Portland, he was likely to take his talents to South Beach or the Bay Area. There's been little momentum on Lillard-to-Houston rumors.

That's a shame. When Lillard was last healthy, he averaged 24.9 points and 7.1 assists per game in 58 contests. He had a Box Plus/Minus (BPM) of 4.0 and a True Shooting % (TS%) of 62.1%.

Breaking news: Damian Lillard is good.

Will he be the same player when he returns? It's hard to say. That said, he could lose a step and still be superior to Fred VanVleet. With no disrespect to the Rockets' beloved floor general, Lillard is a different caliber of player.

It may be for the best. The Rockets aren't moving VanVleet any time soon, and they need to find opportunities for Reed Sheppard. Once Lillard returns, it would have been difficult to work out their point guard rotation with three small guards who shouldn't share the floor. Still, Lillard is talented enough that the pros would have outweighed those cons.

Now, it's a moot point. Lillard is a Blazer.

What does that mean for the Rockets?

Rockets shouldn't worry about Blazers

On a related note: What is going on in Portland?

This team acquired Jrue Holiday this summer. Doing so after trading him last summer makes for a mystery. Do the Blazers want to win, or are they rebuilding? Perhaps they wanted to accelerate the timeline like the Rockets did with VanVleet and Brooks. The difference is that the Rockets brought in players who complemented the young guys who'd flashed potential.

By contrast, the Blazers are seemingly set on putting roadblocks in Scoot Henderson's way. He's been disappointing in the NBA, but stocking up on good players at his position doesn't seem like the best way to help him actualize his potential.

If Lillard is back this year, it won't be until the end of the season. Still, this acquisition complicates Portland's long-term outlook. There's talent on this team, but unless Yang Hansen hits quickly (a distinct possibility), they shouldn't pose a threat to Houston in the next couple of years.

Still, the Rockets would have been more threatening with Lillard.