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Excitement and hope filled the room as the Rockets held their annual media day Friday at the Post Oak Hotel in Houston. The Rockets enter this season again with strong title aspirations and weren't shy of making their goal known. Media day has become a day to pass around cliche preseason quotes, but occasionally something stands out that feels of particular importance. Aside from the usual "player A worked on X this summer" or "player B really wants to win a championship this season,'' a couple of interesting themes stood out from Houston's media day.
1. The Rockets seem open to paying the luxury tax
As it stands, the Rockets will be slightly over the luxury tax if they go into training camp with 15 players as Daryl Morey said was the plan to the Houston Chronicle. It seemed as if Houston may try and dodge it this year since they are so close to the line, but Morey said at media day that the team has not closed the book on paying it this year.
Daryl Morey on paying the luxury tax this year: "I worry about winning and so does Tilman... I know that Tilman to… https://t.co/a2u8M4Ze7j— Salman Ali (@Salman Ali) 1569600977.0
2. Houston values the addition of Tyson Chandler more than you'd think
Strangely enough, it seems veteran center Tyson Chandler was one of the stars of media day. Nearly every interview had some sort of passing reference to Chandler and the value he brings to this Rockets team. In fact, GM Daryl Morey's opening remarks at media day included unprompted praise of Chandler and his leadership. "Tyson Chandler's been just so vocal even in his time this offseason with our players, talking to the young guys, and working with the vets," Morey said. "Mike [D'Antoni] really told me how much he's going to add to the team in the locker room.
Daryl Morey talks about all that Russell Westbrook can add. "Desire, athleticism, etc..." Talks about the positiv… https://t.co/HyEZgw7Zog— Salman Ali (@Salman Ali) 1569600261.0
3. Lots of pressure on young Danuel House
Mike D'Antoni had talked about how essential Danuel House was going to be to Houston this summer and it seems that message has carried into training camp. It's very clear that Houston plans on making House a major rotation player even though he will be coming off the bench. Even Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta talked about his excitement for House at media day.
Tilman Fertitta: "Danuel House has his full year and I think what he can do in the NBA is unlimited."— Salman Ali (@Salman Ali) 1569601275.0
4. Russell Westbrook doesn't hate the Houston media (yet)!
Jokes aside, from the moment Westbrook took the podium in August for his introductory press conference, he's been cordial with the Houston press. Westbrook was friendly and charismatic in a way that contradicts the image forged of himself in Oklahoma City. Obviously it's still early and games haven't been played yet, but so far so good for nervous media members.
Russell Westbrook on joining Houston: "For me, it's a new chapter. That's the most important thing... It's exciting… https://t.co/Vl20UgByrw— Salman Ali (@Salman Ali) 1569608127.0
5. The Rockets plan to renovate the Toyota Center pretty soon
When asked about any possible upcoming changes, CEO Tad Brown said the Rockets will likely make upgrades at the Toyota Center for the 20th anniversary of the building. While the building is still in pretty good working condition, Tilman Fertitta and Brown said they would like to spruce it up a little bit. There had been mention of this plan before, but as we near 2021 (the anniversary), it seems Houston plans to move forward on this project soon enough.
CEO Tad Brown and owner Tilman Fertitta say the Rockets expect to make significant upgrades at the Toyota Center at the 20 year anniversary.— Salman Ali (@Salman Ali) 1569602066.0
6. James Harden and Russell Westbrook have bought into this partnership
With the caveat that it's still very early and we have yet to see anything materialize on the floor, Harden and Westbrook said all the right things at media day about playing together. Both mentioned their long standing friendship as the primary reason the pairing would thrive. Mike D'Antoni said Houston plans to stagger the two so one of either Harden or Westbrook is on the floor for all 48 minutes. It's early, but if Harden and Westbrook are serious about putting egos and individual accomplishments aside, there's reason for optimism for this pairing to succeed.
Harden says that he and Westbrook have both accomplished enough individually. "Now it's time to win a championship."— Salman Ali (@Salman Ali) 1569606024.0
There are still plenty of things to learn about this Rockets team, including the players and coaches that didn't get a chance to speak at media day (notably associate head coach Elston Turner). With training camp opening up today, it should be interesting to meet some of the new faces (and old ones, in the case of returning forward Ryan Anderson) and see what the points of emphasis are for Houston entering preseason.
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How Astros advanced metrics tell puzzling story about Houston's start
Apr 17, 2025, 5:21 pm
Major League Baseball’s regular season is 162 games long. You can think of 18 games as the first inning of the season, 18 times nine equaling 162. While the Astros 8-10 record is not good, it’s far from disastrous. Think of it as them being behind 1-0 after the first inning. It is pretty remarkable that they have yet to win consecutive games. Even during last year’s 7-19 stink bomb of a start the Astros twice managed to win two in a row.
The Astros’ offensive woes are plentiful. Oddly enough as impotent as they’ve been, the Astros have yet to be shutout. But in half their games they have scored exactly one or two runs. Basically, most of them stink thus far. Exemptions go to Jose Altuve and Isaac Paredes, but it’s not like either of them has been outstanding. It’s still early enough that one big series can dramatically alter the numbers, but the Astros badly need Yordan Alvarez to pick up his production. Yordan enters the weekend batting just .224 with a .695 OPS and just four extra base hits. Yainer rhymes with minor. As in minor leagues, where Diaz belongs at his current level of performance. That is not saying Diaz should be sent down, just that any random AAA catcher called up couldn’t have done much worse to this point. Diaz isn’t hitting Altuve’s weight, a woeful .130 with seven hits in 57 at bats. Diaz simply remains too undisciplined at the plate swinging at too many balls. He’s drawn three walks. And now to Christian Walker, who thus far has delivered return on investment for his three year 60 million dollar contract about as strong as the stock market’s performance in Tariff Time. Walker’s .154 batting average and .482 OPS are very Astro Jose Abreu-like. Walker’s23 strikeouts in 65 at bats jump off the page. In the batter’s box he has often looked befuddled. Walker is definitely pressing and frustrated, wanting to perform better for his new team. Jeremy Pena goes into the weekend batting .215 and has one hit in 13 at bats with runners in scoring position. Brendan Rodgers, Jake Meyers, and Chas McCormick all have weak stat lines, with little reason to expect quality offensive output from any of them. Cam Smith is at .200 with a yucky .591 OPS but he’s obviously a young stud work in progress thrown into the deep end of the pool.
All batting orders are top-heavy, the Astros’ on paper more so than many. As I set forth on one of our Stone Cold ‘Stros podcasts this week, the first inning should be a team’s best offensive inning. It’s the only frame in which a team gets to dictate who comes up from the start with the batters lined up just as the manager slots them. Add to that, the first inning is a good time to get to a starting pitcher before he settles in. The Astros have scored a pitiful three first inning runs in 18 games, and in two of the games they pushed one across in the first, it turned out to be the only Astro run of the game. Improvement needs to come internally from the big league roster. It’s not as if the Astros have a meaningful prospect at AAA Sugar Land who looks ready to help. Entering play Thursday the Space Cowboys’ team average was .186. Second base hopeful Brice Matthews is nowhere close, batting .180 and striking out left and right. Outfielder Jacob Melton opened three for 17 following the back injury-delayed start to his season.
As exasperating and boring as the offense has been for so many, grading needs to occur on a curve. So, while the Astros’ team batting average is a joke at .216, know that at close of business Wednesday the entire American League was batting just .232. The American League West-leading Texas Rangers scored eight fewer runs over their first 18 games than did the Astros, though that is skewed by the Astros’ one 14-run outburst against the Angels.
Familiar faces return
This weekend the Astros play host to the San Diego Padres at Daikin Park. The Friars are off to a fabulous start at 15-4. The Padres being here creates a mini reunion as both Martin Maldonado and Yuli Gurriel are on their roster. In a telling fact, Maldonado would have the third-highest batting average on the Astros if on the team with his current numbers. Maldonado is hitting .250 with seven hits in 28 at bats. The last season he finished above .200 was 2020. The only season in his career Maldonado topped .234 was his rookie season with a .266 mark in 2012.
Gurriel was last good in 2021 when he won the American League batting title at .319. He fell off a cliff from there, though perked up to have a fine postseason in the Astros’ 2022 run to World Series title number two. “La Pina” is batting .115 with just three hits in 26 at bats. Gurriel may be released soon, and approaching his 41st birthday June 9, that would probably be the end of the line. Short-timer Astro Jason Heyward is also on the Padres, and batting .190.
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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