Houston Rockets

20-62, no playoffs

Overview: From the outside, it is hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel for a Rockets team that finished with the NBA’s worst record for the past two seasons. Inside the organization, however, optimism abounds because those last-place finishes have allowed Houston to stockpile talent as the Rockets look ahead. Jalen Green, the second overall pick in the 2021 draft, is certain this rebuild will lead to success in the future.“We’ve got a lot of young talent,” he said. “A lot of guys that want it to be a great team. We’ve all got the mentality to do it. So yeah, it’s going to happen sooner than later.” Green leads this extraordinarily young team that isn’t predicted to do much this year but is laying the foundation to return to contention. The Rockets went 20-62 last season after winning just 17 games the season before. The nosedive came after the team reached the postseason for eight straight seasons before trading away all its stars and most of its veterans, including James Harden. Quote: “I’m super excited about this season,” coach Stephen Silas said.“I’m excited for a bunch of reasons. I’m excited that we have a group that I’ve been with for a little while and they have more experience than they had in the past.”