The Rockets are loaded with veterans on the bench and that should suit them well in Rick Adelman’s running offense. Mike James was brought back to the Rockets in the off season and he could challenge Rafer Alston for playing time. James played in 82 games (65 starts) for the Timberwolves last season and he averaged 25.2 minutes, 10.1 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. Stevie Francis was brought in as a free agent and he will likely back up Shane Battier at shooting guard. He played in 44 games (30 starts) with the Knicks last season and he averaged 28.1 minutes, 11.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. Bonzi Wells played some of his best basketball in Sacramento when Rick Adelman was his head coach so maybe he will be inspired to play for him. Wells played in 28 games (1 start) for the Rockets last season and he averaged 21.1 minutes, 7.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Luther Head will be the long distance assassin off of the bench for the Rockets this season. He hit 44.1% from three point range last year for the Rockets. Head played in 80 games (10 starts) for the Rockets last season and he averaged 27.6 minutes, 10.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. Chuck Hayes will backup Luis Scola at power forward and he did a decent job for the Rockets last season. Hayes played in 78 games (43 starts) for the Rockets last season and he averaged 22.0 minutes, 5.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. Reserve center Dikembe Mutombo will return as Yao’s backup and he did a great job last season filling in. Mutombo played in 75 games (33 starts) last season for the Rockets and he averaged 17.2 minutes, 3.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 0.2 assists and 1.0 block per game. Kirk Snyder will be a swing man splitting his time between small forward and shooting guard. He played in 39 games (1 start) last season for the Rockets and he averaged 14.4 minutes, 4.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game. Steve Novak will be at the end of the bench if he even makes the team. He played in 35 games (1 start) as a rookie for the Rockets last season and he averaged 5.5 minutes, 1.5 points, 0.7 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game. Rookies Aaron Brooks and Carl Landry will likely be sitting a lot as rookies but the Rockets like both players for the future.

The Rockets only new starter this season will be rookie power forward Luis Scola from Argentina. The Rockets acquired him from the rival Spurs in the off-season because he wouldn’t sign with them because he wanted some playing time. Scola had a good pre-season with the Rockets as he played in 7 games (4 starts) and he averaged 25.0 minutes, 9.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game. The big key for the Rockets this season is the health of Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. T-Mac only played in 71 games (all starts) for the Rockets last season and he averaged 35.8 minutes, 24.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He should improve on those numbers if his back holds up in Rick Adelman’s running system. Yao Ming will also dominate and establish himself as the best center on the planet if he can just stay in one piece. Yao played in 48 games (all starts) last season and he averaged 33.8 minutes, 25.0 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 blocked shots per game. Shane Battier will likely start at shooting guard and that’s a good thing for the Rockets as he does all of the little things that make a team better. He hustles on the defensive end and he’s a good shooter. He played in 82 games (all starts) last season for the Rockets and he averaged 36.4 minutes, 10.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Rafer Alston will start at point guard this season for the Rockets but he will likely see his minutes drop with Mike James and Stevie Francis on board. Alston played in 82 games last season (all starts) for the Rockets and he averaged 37.1 minutes, 13.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He needs to improve his shooting as he only made 37.5% of his shots from the floor last season.

The Rockets have released Bobby Sura, Jackie Butler, Justin Reed and John Lucas. None of these cuts come as a surprise but it’s a shame that Sura couldn’t work his way back with all of the rehab he put in after suffering a serious knee injury. Butler and Reed were both acquired in separate trades this off-season but they failed to impress. The Rockets likely won’t miss any one that they let go.

The Rockets have re-signed center Dikembe Mutombo to a 1-year contract to back up Yao Ming again this season.  Mutombo did a good job last season for the Rockets when Yao went down with a broken leg.  Mutombo played in 75 games (33 starts) last season for the Rockets and he averaged 3.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 0.2 assists and 1.0 block per game in 17.2 minutes.  He has now played in 1,148 games (899 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 10.1 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 2.8 blocks per game.