All Systems Go in H-Town (A Houston Rockets NBA 2K14 MyGM Dynasty)

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ROCKETS DRAFT PICKS

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HALL OF FAME

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Rockets Hire Whittle as Youngest GM in NBA History

The Houston Rockets have pulled out the surprise package of the offseason by hiring Tim Whittle as their General Manager. Whittle, 22, is the youngest GM in NBA history and takes on his role a matter of months after graduating from the University of Texas with a degree in Sports Management.

It is unknown why the Rockets decided on change at the top after signalling the end of their "Competitive Rebuilding" era with the signing of Dwight Howard to pair with superstar James Harden. However, all that can be assumed is that the Rockets wanted to pair a young playing core with a young management core built to create a dynasty of championship-winning Houston teams.

No details were released by the club in their statement but did mention that Whittle will front a press conference with owner Ryan Annear and coach Kevin McHale later this afternoon. Details from the conference will be posted as they come.

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Press Conference - Introduction to Rockets

"Welcome to the Houston Rockets, Mr Whittle. How does it feel to be the youngest GM in NBA history?"

I can't exactly describe how it feels right now because I'm honestly struggling to string sentences together. I'm obviously very honoured and very grateful to be in the position that I am in. I hope that I can use the euphoria of today to go on and help the Rockets win championships which is what I'm here to do.

"You speak of being here to win championships; where do you see the Rockets going as a team and as a franchise this season?

I want to say we're championship-bound and I believe that we have a squad capable of a very deep playoff run but I'm trying my best not to get ahead of myself too early in my tenure as Rockets GM. I've had long conversation with Ryan and Kevin about what we collectively agree is a high standard for the Rockets to reach this season.

On the field, we want to build on our playoff appearance last season by consolidating and extending our presence among the elite team of the NBA. 50 wins is what we're calling an absolute minimum and that should get us into the top 6 in the West potentially stealing home-court advantage in the first round. Off the field, we want to build an environment that is vibrant for players, management and fans alike so that we can have every home game sold out and rocking in atmosphere. While we don't see that as necessary, aiming for top 10 in attendance will definitely get us on our way to 100% home attendance.

"Dwight Howard signed for the team in free agency as the biggest move of the man that you have now replaced. After seemingly completing the squad for this season before his departure, will you be making any changes before opening night?"

Obviously it is the dream of any GM to have the most dominant big man in the league today and I am very blessed that Daryl Morey was able to pull off this signing. The other signings that have been made in both past and present establish a really solid playing roster for this season with plenty of offensive options and plenty of capable lockdown defenders. I don't expect to make any major changes anytime soon. Obviously if things go pear-shaped into the season I may make changes like any other GM would but for now the playing is more or less set in stone.

"Do you have any fears that your age and inexperience will hinder your efforts to bring championships to Houston given that a large portion of the squad are older than you?"

Not at all. If I had that fear at any stage, I wouldn't have accepted the job so willingly. The ownership of the Rockets knew that I was the right man for the job, as they told me many times during the interview process. I'm embracing the challenge of dealing with players more experienced than myself and I believe that I'll pick up the job really easily and start delivering results sooner rather than later.

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2013-14 Preseason

2013 NBA Draft

UNLV's Anthony Bennett greets NBA Commissioner David Stern after being drafted #1 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers

The 2013 NBA Draft was full of surprises towards the top of the draft as many scouts and GMs failed to unanimously rank the prospects in terms of potential and present-day usage. The biggest surprise came with the first pick as UNLV PF Anthony Bennett was selected #1 by the Cleveland Cavaliers. The pre-draft favourite for the top pick, Kentucky C Nerlens Noel, was selected #6 by the New Orleans Pelicans before being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in return for star PG Jrue Holiday.

The Rockets only had one selection in the draft, the #34 pick, after trading their first-round pick that they acquired from the Toronto Raptors to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of the James Harden trade. They used that pick to draft Pittsburgh C Steven Adams #12.

2013 NBA Draft - Houston Rockets
Pick	Player	College	Pos	Ht	Wt
34	Isaiah Canaan	Murray State	PG	6'0"	188
45	Marko Todorović*	FC Barcelona (Spain)	PF/C	6'11"	245

*Marko Todorović and Kostas Papanikolaou were acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Thomas Robinson

Free Agency

Draft Picks
Isaiah Canaan (PG) - Signed July 15, 2013 to rookie contract

Free Agency Additions
Dwight Howard (C) - Signed July 13, 2013 from Los Angeles Lakers
B.J. Young - (SG) Signed July 15, 2013 as undrafted rookie
Omri Casspi - (SF) Signed July 16, 2013 from Cleveland Cavaliers
Aaron Brooks - (PG) Signed July 19, 2013 to extend contract
Reggie Williams (SF/SG) - Signed July 19, 2013 from Charlotte Bobcats
Marcus Camby - (C/PF) Signed July 29, 2013 from Toronto Raptors
Francisco Garcia - (SF/SG) Signed August 1, 2013 to extend contract
Jordan Henriquez (C/PF) - Signed August 2, 2013 as undrafted rookie
Troy Daniels (SG) - Signed October 17, 2013 as undrafted rookie

Free Agency Subtractions
Carlos Delfino (SF/SG) - Signed July 17, 2013 with Milwaukee Bucks

Trades
Thomas Robinson to Portland - July 10, 2013
Rockets - Kostas Papanikolau (SF) [POR - draft rights], Marko Todorovic (PF/C) [POR - draft rights], cash considerations
Trail Blazers - Thomas Robinson (PF) [HOU]

Royce White to Philadelphia - July 13, 2013
76ers - Royce White (SF/PF) [HOU], Furkan Aldemir (PF/C) [HOU - draft rights], cash considerations
Rockets - cash considerations

Waives
James Anderson (SG/SF) - Waived July 13, 2013 (Signed July 15, 2013 with Philadelphia 76ers)
Tim Ohlbrecht (PF/C) - Waived July 13, 2013 (Signed July 15, 2013 with Philadelphia 76ers)
BJ Young (SG) - Waived October 1, 2013
Jordan Henriquez (C/PF) - Waived October 4, 2013
Troy Daniels (SG) - Waived October 26, 2013

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End of Preseason 2013-14

James Harden and Rockets recruit Dwight Howard unveil the league's newest deadly duo

Opening Night Roster

Houston Rockets 2013-14 Roster
#	NAME	POS	AGE	HT	WT	SALARY
3	Omer Asik	C/PF	27	7'0"	255	$5,220,000
2	Patrick Beverley	PG	25	6'1"	185	$789,000
21	Marcus Camby	C/PF	39	6'11"	235	$1,400,000
1	Isaiah Canaan	PG	22	6'0"	188	$571,000
18	Omri Casspi	SF	25	6'9"	225	$1,300,000
32	Francisco Garcia	SG	32	6'7"	195	$1,270,000
13	James Harden	SG/SF	24	6'5"	220	$13,670,000
12	Dwight Howard	C	27	6'11"	265	$20,510,000
6	Terrence Jones	PF	21	6'9"	252	$1,550,000
7	Jeremy Lin	PG/SG	25	6'3"	200	$5,220,000
20	Donatas Montiejunas	PF	23	7'0"	222	$1,420,000
25	Chandler Parsons	SF	25	6'9"	227	$927,000
4	Greg Smith	PF/C	22	6'10"	250	$884,000
55	Reggie Williams	SF/SG	27	6'6"	205	$1,500,000

Houston Rockets Depth Chart - 2013-14
	STARTER	2ND	3RD	BENCH
PG	Jeremy Lin	Patrick Beverley	Aaron Brooks	Isaiah Canaan
SG	James Harden	Jeremy Lin	Francisco Garcia
SF	Chandler Parsons	Omri Casspi	James Harden	Reggie Williams
PF	Omer Asik	Terrence Jones	Greg Smith	Donetas Montiejunas
C	Dwight Howard	Omer Asik	Marcus Camby

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NBA Preseason 2013-14 Power Rankings
RK (LW)	Team	Record	Next Game
1 (1)	Miami Heat	0-0	vs CHI
2 (5)	San Antonio Spurs	0-0	vs MEM
3 (2)	Indiana Pacers	0-0	vs ORL
4 (7)	Oklahoma City Thunder	0-0	@ UTA
5 (10)	Golden State Warriors	0-0	vs LAL
6 (4)	Los Angeles Clippers	0-0	@ LAL
7 (6)	Houston Rockets	0-0	vs CHA
8 (8)	Chicago Bulls	0-0	@ MIA
9 (3)	Brooklyn Nets	0-0	@ CLE
10 (9)	Memphis Grizzlies	0-0	@ SA
11 (16)	Denver Nuggets	0-0	@ SAC
12 (14)	Dallas Mavericks	0-0	vs ATL
13 (11)	New York Knicks	0-0	vs MIL
14 (18)	Detroit Pistons	0-0	vs WAS
15 (17)	Washington Wizards	0-0	@ DET
16 (19)	Cleveland Cavaliers	0-0	vs BKN
17 (21)	Los Angeles Lakers	0-0	vs LAC
18 (12)	Atlanta Hawks	0-0	@ DAL
19 (13)	Minnesota Timberwolves	0-0	vs ORL
20 (27)	Boston Celtics	0-0	@ TOR
21 (20)	New Orleans Pelicans	0-0	vs IND
22 (15)	Portland Trailblazers	0-0	@ PHX
23 (23)	Toronto Raptors	0-0	vs BOS
24 (26)	Milwakee Bucks	0-0	@ NY
25 (28)	Charlotte Bobcats	0-0	@ HOU
26 (22)	Sacramento Kings	0-0	vs DEN
27 (29)	Phoenix Suns	0-0	vs POR
28 (24)	Orlando Magic	0-0	@ IND
29 (30)	Philadelphia 76ers	0-0	vs MIA
30 (25)	Utah Jazz	0-0	vs OKC

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Houston Rockets 2013-14 Schedule
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Oct 30	vs Charlotte Bobcats	Won, 93-73
Nov 1	vs Dallas Mavericks	Won, 95-79
Nov 2	at Utah Jazz
Nov 4	at Los Angeles Clippers
Nov 5	at Portland Trail Blazers
Nov 7	vs Los Angeles Lakers
Nov 9	vs Los Angeles Clippers
Nov 11	vs Toronto Raptors
Nov 13	at Philadelphia 76ers
Nov 14	at New York Knicks
Nov 16	vs Denver Nuggets
Nov 19	vs Boston Celtics
Nov 20	at Dallas Mavericks
Nov 23	vs Minnesota Timberwolves
Nov 25	at Memphis Grizzlies
Nov 27	vs Atlanta Hawks
Nov 29	vs Brooklyn Nets
Nov 30	at San Antonio Spurs
Dec 2	at Utah Jazz
Dec 4	vs Phoenix Suns
Dec 6	vs Golden State Warriors
Dec 8	vs Orlando Magic
Dec 12	at Portland Trail Blazers
Dec 13	at Golden State Warriors
Dec 15	at Sacramento Kings
Dec 18	vs Chicago Bulls
Dec 20	at Indiana Pacers
Dec 21	at Detroit Pistons
Dec 23	vs Dallas Mavericks
Dec 25	at San Antonio Spurs
Dec 26	vs Memphis Grizzlies
Dec 28	vs New Orleans Pelicans
Dec 29	at Oklahoma City Thunder
Dec 31	vs Sacramento Kings
Jan 3	vs New York Knicks
Jan 8	vs Los Angeles Lakers
Jan 10	at Atlanta Hawks
Jan 11	at Washington Wizards
Jan 13	at Boston Celtics
Jan 15	at New Orleans Pelicans
Jan 16	vs Oklahoma City Thunder
Jan 18	vs Milwaukee Bucks
Jan 20	vs Portland Trail Blazers
Jan 22	vs Sacramento Kings
Jan 24	vs Memphis Grizzlies
Jan 25	at Memphis Grizzlies
Jan 28	vs San Antonio Spurs
Jan 29	at Dallas Mavericks
Feb 1	vs Cleveland Cavaliers
Feb 5	vs Phoenix Suns
Feb 8	at Milwaukee Bucks
Feb 10	at Minnesota Timberwolves
Feb 12	vs Washington Wizards
Feb 19	at Los Angeles Lakers
Feb 20	at Golden State Warriors
Feb 23	at Phoenix Suns
Feb 25	at Sacramento Kings
Feb 26	at Los Angeles Clippers
Mar 1	vs Detroit Pistons
Mar 4	vs Miami Heat
Mar 5	at Orlando Magic
Mar 7	vs Indiana Pacers
Mar 9	vs Portland Trail Blazers
Mar 9	at Denver Nuggets
Mar 11	at Oklahoma City Thunder
Mar 13	at Chicago Bulls
Mar 16	at Miami Heat
Mar 17	vs Utah Jazz
Mar 20	vs Minnesota Timberwolves
Mar 22	at Cleveland Cavaliers
Mar 24	at Charlotte Bobcats
Mar 27	vs Philadelphia 76ers
Mar 29	vs Los Angeles Clippers
Apr 1	at Brooklyn Nets
Apr 2	at Toronto Raptors
Apr 4	vs Oklahoma City Thunder
Apr 6	vs Denver Nuggets
Apr 8	at Los Angeles Lakers
Apr 11	at Minnesota Timberwolves
Apr 12	vs New Orleans Pelicans
Apr 14	vs San Antonio Spurs
Apr 16	at New Orleans Pelicans