NBA Power Rankings: Why Are Rockets Last?

The Houston Rockets are dead last in the latest power rankings. Why do they find themselves there?

Jeremy Brener | Jun 17, 2023

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Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets have a lot of upside going into the offseason.

Even though they didn't win the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes, they ended up with the No. 4 pick and are expected to add another pillar to their strong core. The team also has the most cap space in the entire league, giving them ample opportunity to complement that core with some of the NBA's top free agents, including James Harden or Fred VanVleet.

However, the Rockets are ranked dead last in Bleacher Report's latest power rankings.

"The Houston Rockets settling in at the 30th spot shouldn't be seen as an indictment of their long-term prospects," Bleacher Report writes. "There's still plenty to be excited about with Alperen Şengün, Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Kevin Porter Jr. And if they acquire James Harden, expectations would certainly have to be adjusted in a hurry."

Even though there is a lot of hype and optimism surrounding the Rockets, words have yet to turn into action. Granted, the opportunity hasn't arose for Houston to put its money where its mouth is, but the Rockets have to follow through this summer in order to get out of the gutter they have been in for three years.

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Published Jun 17, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.