Passing with flying colors
JAMES HARDEN
A GRADE Contract status: Signed through 2018 (team option).
Comment: Harden was so good he played a part in two players’ greatness, his own and Stephen Curry’s. Curry, who told Harden after the last game of the Western Conference finals that he had pushed him all season, was the only player ahead of Harden in the MVP voting. But even Curry did not have to carry Harden’s load, with Harden needing to be the Rockets’ primary scorer and playmaker to carry the team through its many injuries.
JASON TERRY
A GRADE Contract status: Free agent. Comment: The Rockets did not acquire Terry to be their starter down the stretch and through the playoffs. They thought he could be influential but were not counting on him being the leader he was. With the injury to Pat Beverley, Terry had to step up significantly. Though he predictably struggled defensively in some matchups and was not as consistent a scorer as when he was younger, he had enough strong games to keep the Rockets winning when pressed into a much larger role than planned.
TERRENCE JONES
B GRADE Contract status: Signed through 2016. Comment: Anything the Rockets got from Jones might have been considered a bonus after a nerve issue threatened his career and a late-season hit left him with a partially collapsed lung. Jones could be extremely effective at times but was equally inconsistent. For the second consecutive season, he was removed from the starting lineup in the postseason. He could benefit greatly if he can play a full season.
CLINT CAPELA
B GRADE Contract status: Signed through 2016 (team option).
Comment: Not expected to play outside of the D-League as a rookie, Capela improved steadily with the Vipers, taking over as backup center late in the season and showing flashes of potential around and above the rim. The Rockets raved about his work ethic and ability to learn quickly for such a young player.
NICK JOHNSON
Inc. GRADE Contract status: Signed through 2017. Comment: Johnson was never expected to have a spot in the rotation and was little-used throughout the season. But he played well enough in the D-League for the Rockets to believe he has a future. He maintained such a good attitude and work ethic that when Beverley was hurt, Johnson handled the pregame captain meeting. He might have preferred to do something when the games began, but he did have one game-winning shot in Minnesota.
DWIGHT HOWARD
A GRADE Contract status: Signed through 2017 (player option).
Comment: Considering he missed half the season, mostly with fluid buildup in his right knee, Howard worked all the way back to be a force in the playoffs. He needed to be incredibly diligent through a long, difficult rehab and then through his cautious return. Though he was often ineffective with his back to the basket and worse from the free-throw line, by the playoffs he was a reliable finisher and outstanding defender and rebounder, all while playing with tremendous determination and even through another injury.
COREY BREWER
A GRADE Contract status: Free agent. Comment: The Rockets believed Brewer’s style would be a good fit, but he gave them even more than they had hoped. He did not maintain his initial pace as a 3-point shooter, but that was to be expected. He did provide instant energy off the bench, creating fast breaks with deflection and, often, just speed and determination. He gave effort defensively as well, with an all-out tenacity that was contagious.
JOSH SMITH
B GRADE Contract status: Free agent. Comment: Smith could be wildly inconsistent from one game to the next, offering insight into why he inspires such greatly diverse opinions. He was spectacular in two of the Rockets’ biggest wins of the season, helping drive them to their Game 6 comeback in Los Angeles and Game 4 win over the Warriors. His value became far greater than the Rockets would have guessed, with Howard, Jones and Motiejunas all losing significant time to injuries.
PABLO PRIGIONI
B GRADE Contract status: Signed through 2016 (partially guaranteed).
Comment: When the Rockets brought in Prigioni, they wanted a steady, veteran hand in case Terry got hurt down the stretch. They did not expect to have to be replacing Beverley in the rotation. Prigioni was limited at this stage of his career, but he had some strong performances as a pick-and-roll ball handler and defensively, playing a much larger role off the bench than the Rockets intended.
KJ McDANIELS
Inc. GRADE Contract status: Restricted free agent. Comment: McDaniels was not brought in to play significantly, with the Rockets hoping to begin developing him as a project. His play with Philadelphia made his season very encouraging, with McDaniels showing outstanding potential as a defender, elite athleticism, and a good open-court game.
TREVOR ARIZA
A GRADE Contract status: Signed through 2018. Comment: Ariza returned to the Rockets looking to fill a role rather than grow into a star, as was the case in his previous stint in Houston. But he still had a difficult job to do as the player moving in at small forward following the departure of Chandler Parsons while tasked with matching up with elite perimeter scorers from Stephen Curry to LeBron James. Ariza was an outstanding defender, even better when considering his versatility, shot well, and was a quiet, effective leader.
DONATAS MOTIEJUNAS
A GRADE Contract status: Signed through 2016. Comment: Motiejunas played a huge part in the Rockets’ success during Howard’s absence, offering a versatile low-post game that the Rockets often featured. His improved 3-point shooting would have brought good spacing when Howard returned, but Howard was still playing limited minutes when Motiejunas was lost for the season to a back injury. Motiejunas helped in more subtle ways as a ball mover and screen setter, qualities missed greatly when he was out.
PAT BEVERLEY
B GRADE Contract status: Restricted free agent. Comment: Beverley did not progress as a scoring option, as might have been expected, but was not the defensive force he was the previous season, with teams more effectively going at him with quickness to not let his all-court tenacity have as great an impact. But those issues did not take away from his ability to still be a strong defender and a solid 3-point shooter, fulfilling the job the Rockets had for him. His injuries might have stunted progress, but his absence also made his value clear.
JOEY DORSEY
C GRADE Contract status: Signed through 2016. Comment: Dorsey needed only to defend, rebound and set screens to fulfill his job, and while having good moments with each, especially on the boards, he could not hold on to his position as a backup center. His defense could be strong on his man, but he had trouble with being undersized and did not provide the rim protection for a player primarily tasked with defense. Despite losing his spot in the rotation, he maintained a professionalism teammates appreciated.
KOSTAS PAPANIKOLAU
Inc. GRADE Contract status: Team option for 2016. Comment: After showing good potential as a power forward in small lineups, helping the Rockets through some of the tough injury stretches, Papanikolaou went down with a bad ankle sprain and never regained his form or a place in the rotation. He was effective enough to show good potential, though he likely will have to improve his shooting range to play more consistently at small forward.