NBA: It's Now Or Never For The Rockets; Guard Addition Was Strategic

In recent seasons, the Houston Rockets have had to settle for “so close, yet so far” and franchise owner Tilman Fertitta believes the team’s window to win an NBA championship is closing fast. He feels that the current squad has the potential to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy after coming close in past seasons.

The Rockets came within one game of making the NBA Finals in 2018, going down to the Golden State Warriors 4-3; and in 2019 they met the same opponents in the second round of the playoffs but went down in six games. They had a strong squad and were not expected to make any big changes to the squad but they made one move that has certainly raised their chances in 2019-20.

The Houston franchise decided to offload Chris Paul, who was said to have been at loggerheads with team leader James Harden and brought in triple-double machine and former MVP Russell Westbrook from Oklahoma City Thunder. They have also re-signed Eric Gordon, ensuring their core remains intact for the foreseeable future.

"I think we put ourselves in the position that if we don't win it in the next three or four years, we probably aren't going to win one in the next 10 years," Fertitta told Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes.

"This is the time. I just re-signed Eric Gordon who is 30 and I've got Russell [Westbrook] and James [Harden] and Eric and Clint Capela for the next four years. P.J. [Tucker] is 34 and our two stars are 30. So this is their window. Let's seize the opportunity."

Westbrook was the face of the Okahoma franchise and their main ball handler but he will have to share those duties with Harden in Houston. Feritta, however, has no concern pairing the two dominant players and is certain the former MVP’s athleticism will enhance their chances of taking that final step.

“No, because I can remember watching Russell Westbrook against us a couple of times last year and I saw how he ran up and down that court and how his athleticism was so superior," he said about bringing in Westbrook. "And I think it's one of the things that we were a little short on."

While the Warriors may not pose as big a threat to the Rockets like in the past this season after losing Kevin Durant to Brooklyn Nets and Klay Thompson to an ACL injury, they will have to be aware of the Los Angeles Lakers, who have brought in Anthony Davis to partner LeBron James, while the Clippers have signed reigning NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard and MVP contender Paul George.