Dear Yao Ming,

For starters Yao, telling the media that  “If the foot injury does not heal next season, I might choose to call it quits,” doesn’t help the Rockets, or your trade value.

You haven’t played basketball in over a year, and you tell the media that you might quit! You sir, are too honest. Yao, your supreme honesty strikes fear in the heart of Rockets fans that Brad Miller is probably going to be the starting center at the beginning of the season.

I know you have been playing basketball as soon as someone noticed you were six feet tall and only 7 years old, and the constant running and jumping on your massive feet has wore down the giant bones. But Houston needs you to suck-it-up, and play. Sure you could play five more years and always walk with a limp, but Bill Walton did it, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas still does it. From now on when someone asks you about your foot simply reply, “Foots good” and thats it!

You should get around Houston and the Toyota Center on a Segway, like Clutch does.

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey in effort to quell depression in Houston responded saying “Yao Ming is working diligently on his return and has consistently received positive feedback at each of his scheduled medical checkups.” “He is currently participating in on-court basketball workouts & we continue to expect him to be ready for training camp which begins on 9/25″

Good save Daryl, good save!

DocFunk’s 2010 Free Agency Recap is full of hilarity, including the above image. As funny this is, I’m sure Brad Miller has a camoflauged version of every jersey he has ever owned. Miller came to this contract signing sporting camo pants, and a polo the Rockets gave him. Which presents the question…Did Brad Miller show up shirtless?

The world may never know! Love Miller’s smile though.

Houston is like New York City compared to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where Miller is from. Both cities have major flood issues but Houston’s heat and humidity will wreck havoc on Miller’s nature walks. Interesting that Fort Wayne is nicknamed the Summit City, and the Houston Rockets once played in the Summit, before moving into the Toyota Center in 2003. The Summit is now Lakewood Church.

Last season the NBA came down hard on Gilbert Arenas and his gun collecting. Unfortunately for Arenas he was in Washington D.C. where handguns are against the law. In Houston old ladies at bus stops have nice shiny .32 millimeters in their purse waiting to “pop a cap” in someone that looks troubling. Gun racks are visible in the back windows of pick-up trucks, and sports retail stores sell the M4 Carbine semi automatic firearm at the low-low price of only $950 dollars.

“Awesome,” Miller told FOX 26 Sports. “I told my agent from the day the season was over Houston was where I wanted to be. I’ve been trying to get down here for, what Rick’s been here four years, so about four years. ”It’s been something I wanted to do.”

Miller could have made more money elsewhere, but playing for Adelman and the Rockets was the package he wanted most. Miller played for Adelman for three years in Sacramento when Adelman was the Kings head coach.

Miller will be the much needed back up for Yao Ming at the center posistion, and will probably play more minutes then Yao early in the season as Yao works his way back into the rotation. Last season the Rockets started 6′, 6″ forward Chuck Hayes at center for 71 games. General manager Daryl Morey said Miller fills a “huge need” for his team.

Miller single-handedly ends the Cornrows Era

The Houston Rockets have launched an interesting campaign to attract free-agents to the city:

Jason Friedman Rockets.com

This afternoon marks the beginning of one of the most ambitious – and perhaps craziest – projects I’ve ever been a part of. It all started with a particularly inspired email from a fan to ideas@rocketball.com. Today I, along with 10 of the world’s biggest, most passionate Rockets fans, am leaving Toyota Center to launch the beginning of the 2010 Rockets Free Agency Caravan. Our purpose: to meet Morey and deliver him to his initial meeting with one of Houston’s primary free agent targets. For more of Jason’s blog head over to: JCF Blog

I pray that the caravan is well air-conditioned, because the Houston humidity could single handedly turn away a free-agent. You have to love the mom & pop attempt at wooing a free-agent. Cities like New York, have million dollar campaigns(Come On, LeBron) that involve famous citizens begging for LeBron to come to play. The Rockets definitely have a solid team, and a hungry fan base that are desperate for one of the cities sports teams to excel. Heres hoping that the caravan goes well, and doesn’t embarrass the team or the city.

The Madison Square Garden Theater was ready for draft night as early as 4 am, when fans begin to line up to assure they had a seat when the $15 tickets went on sale at 11 am. Fans from across the country were in attendance to cheer for their respective teams, and boo Commissioner David Stern every time he walked out to the podium. The Chicago Bulls stole some of the early shine by proposing the trade of Kirk Hinrich to the Wizards. Not to be outdone by the Bulls, the Portland Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen decided to part ways with GM Kevin Pritchard on draft night, but let him still make draft decisions….?  The 2010 NBA Draft went pretty much as expected early, with the exception of the Utah Jazz stealing Gordon Hayward from the Pacers. The University of Kentucky set a record with 5 first round selections.

Here is a break-down of pick #1-#15:

First pick, Washington Wizards: John Wall, 6-4, 195, Kentucky, point guard.: The lock No. 1 pick, Wall has been called the most electrifying player in this year’s draft. A product of the John Calipari one-and-done mold, Wall averaged 16 points, six boards and four dimes. Wall brings the Wizards superior speed, athleticism, and late-game shot making, plus a relief from the circus of last year.

Second pick, Philadelphia 76ers: Evan Turner, 6-7, 205, Ohio State, guard. There was nothing Turner didn’t do for Ohio State, and he’s the most dynamic player in the draft. He averaged 20 points, 9 boards, and 6 dimes last season. With a good game around the basket and a solid midrange shot, Turner only needs to work on his outside shooting and ball handling. He shot 36% from three-point range and turned the ball over 4.4 times per game. Doug Collins new head coach of the 76ers gets another chance to coach a future superstar as he did in Chicago with MJ.

Third pick, New Jersey Nets: Derrick Favors, 6-10, 246, Georgia Tech, forward. A rare athlete who can explode from the floor, he’s also got a massive 7-4 wingspan. Though raw, he has shown signs of being a dominant force on both ends. He needs to add weight, improve his conditioning/shooting/ball handling and learn to play against double-teams, but he should become a special player.

Fourth pick, Minnesota Timberwoves: Wesley Johnson, 6-7, 205, Syracuse, forward. A lottery-level talent that is NBA-ready, he’s an explosive athlete who has a good mid-range game and can finish at the rim. He’s a good teammate and an underrated passer, but last season’s Big East Player of the Year needs to add weight and be more aggressive when his jumper isn’t falling. Wesley was also best-dressed.

Fifth pick, Sacramento Kings: DeMarcus Cousins, 6-11, 270, Kentucky, power forward/center. A top-five talent, with excellent athleticism, offensive and defensive skills, he’s a nightmare matchup. Many tend to be critical of his maturity, but, he was one of the best players in the country last season (15.1 points, 9.8 boards).

Sixth pick, Golden State Warriors: Ekpe Udoh, 6-10, 240, Baylor, forward. Udoh was one of the reasons Baylor emerged in the Elite 8 to face off with eventual-champion Duke. His ability to run the floor in a fast-paced offensive possession or hit a midrange shot in the half-court game led to 13 points, 9.8 boards and 3.7 blocks. He needs to improve his overall offensive game, ball-handling and add some weight.

Seventh pick, Detroit Pistons: Greg Monroe, 6-11, 253, Georgetown, forward. A huge upside–some call him a less-athletic Lamar Odom. Monroe can play with his back to the basket or face up. He averaged 16.1 points and 9.6 boards last season, and also dished 12 assists against Providence, the most by a center in Big East Conference history. Needs to prove he can dominate a game, and develop a more consistent jump shot.

Eighth pick, Clippers: Al-Farouq Aminu, 6-9, 215, Wake Forest, power forward. One of the best athletes in the draft; he uses his explosive first step to get to the bucket. He became a double-double player last season (15.8, 10.7), but is turnover prone (3.2 per game last season) and lacks ball-handling skills, relying too often on his athleticism. Still, a fine pick for an up-tempo team.

Ninth pick, Utah Jazz: Gordon Hayward, 6-8, 207, Butler, forward. He led the Bulldogs on their magical run to the NCAA title game and has a high basketball IQ, an outstanding touch (84% from free-throw line) and sneaky athleticism. He lacks post moves and will need to improve his defense in the NBA. Some question his lack of aggressiveness.

10th pick, Indiana Pacers: Paul George, 6-8, 210, Fresno State, forward. A great athlete who has deep range on his jump shot, rebounds well and can run the floor, NBA teams covet players with his size and skill set. Needs to improve his ball-handling and learn to not settle for the outside shot, but he’s an enticing player.

11th pick, New Orleans Hornets: Cole Aldrich, 6-11, 245, Kansas, center. A throwback-style big man that has good footwork and an awkward-but-efficient shooting touch, he’s also a strong shot blocker (averaged 3.5 last season) and cleans the glass well (10.5 boards his last two seasons). While not terribly athletic and fairly calm, a la Tim Duncan, Aldrich possesses strong fundamentals and better-than-average vision for his size.

12th pick, Memphis Grizzlies: Xavier Henry, 6-6, 220, Kansas, shooting guard. The smoothest player in the draft, he moves effortlessly and is a natural scorer who is deadly from outside (40%). He can slash if he needs to and finish at the rim, but he often relies on his left hand too much and can settle for outside shots. At times, he looks passive; at others, fiercely competitive.

13th pick, Toronto Raptors: Ed Davis, 6-10, 225, North Carolina, forward. After being overshadowed by Tyler Hansbrough, Davis had a breakout freshman year (13.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.8 blocks) and showcased his potential as one of the top talents. Long, athletic, with several post moves and speed to run the floor, the main knock against him is his lack of strength  he also needs a reliable jump shot  but his upside is huge.

14th pick, Houston Rockets: Patrick Patterson, 6-9, 235, Kentucky, forward. One of the more NBA-ready forwards in the draft, he made significant improvements to his game in his junior season, including becoming an outside threat (35% from behind the arc) and a defensive presence (1.3 blocks per game). His intelligence, maturity and ability to learn should help him on the next level, though he’s still undersized to be a power forward, which is exactly what Houston loves.

15th pick, Milwaukee Bucks: Larry Sanders, 6-11, 235, VCU, forward. One of the most athletic players in this draft, Sanders had a breakout season as a sophomore, when he averaged 2.7 blocks per game. As a junior, he averaged 14.4 points, 9.1 boards and 2.6 blocks. He still has some developing to do, but his combination of size and speed give him plenty of potential.

Twenty-two NBA teams, including 11 that appeared in the 2010 NBA Playoffs, will compete in this year’s NBA Summer League. For the second consecutive year, a team of NBA Development League Select players will also participate in the action taking place at the Thomas & Mack Center and the COX Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Marketing partners included in the event are adidas, EA SPORTS, Gatorade and T-Mobile.

This year’s event will feature the Washington Wizards, who won the top overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. Other participating teams with top five selections in this year’s draft include the Minnesota Timberwolves(fourth overall pick) and the Sacramento Kings (fifth overall).

Additionally, 10 of the top 14 picks are expected to participate in Las Vegas this summer.

Joining the above-mentioned teams scheduled to appear in Vegas this summer are the Dallas Mavericks,Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, Phoenix Suns, Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers,Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards.

Tickets for the 2010 NBA Summer League are on sale and can be purchased by calling 702-739-FANS, through UNLVtickets.com or by visiting the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office and UNLV Ticket Outlets. All general admission tickets are $25 for the day; seniors and children (3-12) are $15 for the day; and children two years and under are admitted free of charge.

A complete broadcast schedule will be released at a later date.

Schedule after the jump.

2010 NBA Summer League Game Schedule:

Friday July 9

COX Pavilion

1 PM – Denver vs. Dallas

3 PM – Houston vs. Phoenix

5 PM – Detroit vs. LA Lakers

7 PM – Golden State vs. New Orleans

Saturday July 10

COX Pavilion

1 PM – Toronto vs. Phoenix

3 PM – LA Lakers vs. Denver

5 PM – Detroit vs. Golden State

7 PM – Dallas vs. Houston

Sunday July 11

COX Pavilion

1 PM – New York vs. Denver

3 PM – Portland vs. Houston

5 PM – Washington vs. Golden State

7 PM – Miami vs. New Orleans

Monday July 12

COX Pavilion

1 PM – LA Lakers vs. New York

3 PM – Sacramento vs. Detroit

5 PM – Dallas vs. Milwaukee

7 PM – Washington vs. LA Clippers

Thomas & Mack

3:30 PM – San Antonio vs. Minnesota

5:30 PM – Phoenix vs. NBA D-League

7:30 PM – Memphis vs. Atlanta

Tuesday July 13

COX Pavilion

1 PM – Denver vs. Chicago

3 PM – Cleveland vs. NBA D-League

5 PM – Milwaukee vs. Memphis

7 PM – Portland vs. New Orleans

Thomas & Mack

3:30 PM – Houston vs. Toronto

5:30 PM – Sacramento vs. LA Lakers

7:30 PM – Golden State vs. Miami

Wednesday July 14

COX Pavilion

1 PM – Denver vs. Houston

3 PM – New York vs. Toronto

5 PM – LA Clippers vs. Chicago

7 PM – Sacramento vs. Minnesota

Thomas & Mack

3:30 PM – Atlanta vs. San Antonio

5:30 PM – Cleveland vs. Phoenix

7:30 PM – Detroit vs. Miami

Thursday July 15

COX Pavilion

1 PM – LA Lakers vs. San Antonio

3 PM – Golden State vs. Phoenix

5 PM – Washington vs. Dallas

7 PM – LA Clippers vs. Portland

Thomas & Mack

5:30 PM – Atlanta vs. Milwaukee

7:30 PM – NBA D-League vs. Memphis

Friday July 16

COX Pavilion

1 PM – Detroit vs. New York

3 PM – Toronto vs. Sacramento

5 PM – Washington vs. New Orleans

7 PM – Memphis vs. Minnesota

Thomas & Mack

5:30 PM – Cleveland vs. Chicago

7:30 PM – Milwaukee vs. Miami

Saturday July 17

COX Pavilion

1 PM – New York vs. Washington

3 PM – Miami vs. Cleveland

5 PM – LA Clippers vs. San Antonio

7 PM – Minnesota vs. Portland

Thomas & Mack

3:30 PM – Toronto vs. New Orleans

5:30 PM – Sacramento vs. Chicago

7:30 PM – NBA D-League vs. Atlanta

Sunday July 18

COX Pavilion

1 PM – Cleveland vs. Milwaukee

3 PM – Chicago vs. Portland

5 PM – Dallas vs. Sacramento

Thomas & Mack

1:30 PM – San Antonio vs. Memphis

3:30 PM – Atlanta vs. Minnesota

5:30 PM – LA Clippers vs. NBA D-League

SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

All Times listed are local Las Vegas time.

The Rockets made it out of the first round, but ran into the soon to be champions Los Angeles Lakers. The Rockets put a nice fear in the Lakers taking them to seven games; Aaron led the Rockets in scoring in the last four games. He finished the season scoring 11.2 a game and dishing out 3.0 assists per game.

This season there would be no margin for error. The Rockets being without Yao Ming meant that Aaron Brooks would have to step up his scoring and all around play. Aaron improved his scoring to 19.6 points and assists to 5.3. His quickness mixed with 40% shooting from 3-point range made him difficult to defend. He led the league in 3 pointers made and was the sixth player in NBA history to make at least 200 3-pointers and have at least 400 assists in the same season. He made at least one 3-pointer in a franchise-record 39-consecutive games.

Brooks will be the first Rockets player to win one of the league’s performance awards since Steve Francis was a co-rookie of the year 10 years ago. The Truth Sports salutes you Aaron Brooks!

Maurice Podoloff Trophy for the Most Valuable Player

(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

LeBron James-Cleveland Cavaliers

This is a no-brainer! LeBron has played this season at a level few have ever matched. 6th in assists, 10th in steals, and 2nd in points. A player efficiency rating at 31.2%, 3 points higher then any other player according to Basketball-  Reference.com.. 29.7 points per game on .503% shooting. He also averaged a career high 8.6 assists on top of all that. The Cavaliers have the best record in the league for the second straight season and look to dominate in this years playoffs. LeBron will be the 10th player in NBA history to win MVP in back-to-back seasons

Eddie Gottlieb Trophy for the Rookie of the Year

(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Tyreke Evans-Sacramento Kings

The race for the Rookie of the Year was tightening up as the season wound down to the end but Tyreke’s 20,5,5, accomplishment make him a shoo-in. Tyreke is the 4th(Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson, LeBron James) rookie in NBA history to average 20 points, 5 assists, and 5 rebounds in a season. That alone should win you the Rookie of the Year, and his 20,5,5, was only averaged this season by Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James. That ridiculous company should guarantee him the award!

Kevin McHale Trophy for 6th Man of the Year

Jamal Crawford-Atlanta Hawks

Crawford’s points per game were higher in previous seasons, but his impact off the bench for the Hawks was instrumental in their 50 win season. His three-point percentage of .382 is the highest of his career. Crawford leads the league in scoring among players who haven’t started a game and has been endorsed for the award by star players such as Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce.

Alvin Robertson Trophy for Most Improved Player

Aaron Brooks-Houston Rockets

In his first full season as the starting point guard for the Houston Rockets,  Aaron averaged 19.8 points per game, up from 11.2 last season. Aaron is the 6th player in league history to finish the season with 200+ three- pointers, and 400+ assists. He leads the league in made three-pointers, with a .397% shooting from deep.

Sidney Moncrief Trophy for Defensive Player of the Year

Dwight Howard-Orlando Magic

When it comes to defense, the guy with the muscles standing in the  paint is usually the best weapon. He leads the league in blocks (2.79 per  game) rebounds  (13.2) and defensive rebounds (9.7)

Opponents are shooting a league-low .438 from the field against  Orlando.  The Magic has the league’s third-best defensive rating– an estimate of  points allowed per 100 possessions — at 103.1, according to Basketball-  Reference.com.

How often does a NBA general manager tweet about his scouting trip in Europe while his team ends its losing streak. Well that is just what Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is currently doing.

DMorey: Players high fiving fans after the win. This is something the NBA could try.

Busy scouting overseas, far from a vacation, but working on the Rockets future. The incredible part is he is tweeting about it. Morey has been giving travel updates for about a week, and there’s a lot of interesting stuff in there. Morey went to Belgrade to watch Partizan take on Maccabi Tel Aviv in the third game of a best-of-five series. It’s a fair bet Morey was paying special attention to Jan Vesely, a versatile Partizan forward who is currently projected to be a late-lottery pick, and dunks like the rim slapped his momma.

Partizan ended up winning the game 81-73, with Vesely scoring 14 points in 24 minutes of play for the winning side. The decisions that Morey has made this season accompanied with the Rockets finishing above .500 should earn him GM of the Year honors. This is Morey’s 4th year with Houston, who has benefited from his statistical-based analysis, whatever that means. Since Morey took over the Rockets are 145-92 (.634) and made it out of the first round last year for the first time since the 97-98 season. Keep up the good work Morey! Here is a nice dunk by Vesely. There are currently no Rockets that can dunk like this, well maybe Jordan Hill, but I doubt he could catch the ball.

The Rockets have a 0.7% chance of winning the Draft Lottery. I know its never endorsed, but losing the last nine will only help to improve their draft chances. Also giving players like Mike Harris, Jermaine Taylor, and Jordan Hill minutes only helps their needed development. There is no reason to rush Shane Battier, or Kevin Martin back.

This was a roller coaster season for the Rockets, where every two wins equaled two loses. The Rockets were forced to start a 6′,6″ Chuck Hayes at center, and never played defense at the level of previous years(NO YAO). Tracy McGrady left the team, and free agent signee Trevor Ariza played uncomfortable in “Batman” role. Playing with Kobe Bryant gave Ariza the ability to watch, and enjoy. On the Rockets Ariza faced double-teams, and teammates watching him. Speaking of Trevor Ariza, I hope he returns next season with some sort of offensive moves. We at theruthsports.com started a drinking game based on Ariza’s game. Every time he travels, shot. He drives in the post and spins on his pivot, shot. Goes for steal and leaves his man wide open, shot. Shoots and misses three pointer, shot. Needless to say we ended this game early in the season due to liver pains.

Aaron Brooks and Kyle Lowry are two point guards that if combined would be unstoppable. If only Aaron could pass, and command the court like Lowry, and what if Lowry could shoot like Brooks. Last season I thought Brooks was irreplaceable, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Rockets looked to add another point guard.

The Rockets have a fascinating mix of players, and a general manger in Daryl Morey that can literally turn coal to diamonds, with his mind. With the current cap-space the Rockets will be in the running for Chris Bosh, and Amare Stoudemire. I would also entertain the thought of the Rockets signing David Lee. Alas, all of this fantasy can all be brought back to earth if Yao Ming doesnt return to his former level.

Sadly, the amount of injuries the Rockets have faced over the past five years has destroyed any championship hopes. I can’t help but mention that since the Rockets changed the logo to the “Gothic Rocket” one of the best three players on the team has missed at least 30 games. If anyone gets hurt for significant time next season, I’m starting the petition to return to the old school uniforms and logo. Don’t make me do it HOUSTON!