A FEW YEARS AGO, the Rockets were in NBA purgatory, caught between .500 and the playoffs. Now, after swiping James Harden from OKC, GM Daryl Morey has built the cap space and the core to woo Dwight Howard, the guy he wanted all along. Even in last year's transitional season, the Rockets had the scoring margin of a 50-win team and the NBA's sixth-best offense. If coach Kevin McHale revamps the D around the center tandem of Howard and Omer Asik, there's no ceiling for Morey's creation.
2013-14 Insider forecast: Houston Rockets »
Mag NBA previews: No. 4 Oklahoma City Thunder
Follow The Mag on Twitter (@ESPNmag) and like us on Facebook.
