NBA Rumors: Houston Rockets Seek James Harden Sub; Dwight Howard, Ty Lawson Lose Donatas Motiejunas

Sep 15, 2015 02:59 AM EDT

The Houston Rockets had a great run in the previous NBA season. With the return of what could be presumed as a healthier team, James Harden, Ty Lawson and Dwight Howard might actually have a shot at making it beyond the playoffs this NBA season. Should all the stars in the Houston Rockets roster remain physically fit this time around, then the Golden State Warriors will find themselves displaced from the throne.

Ty Lawson, who was first seen in the roster of the Denver Nuggets, vows to extend assistance to Houston Rockets star James Harden throughout this upcoming NBA season. According to Ty Lawson, the Houston Rockets shooting guard had an incredible run last season but the former Denver Nuggets star noticed that James Harden needed backup.

With his entry into the Houston Rockets roster, Ty Lawson is eager to show that the problems he had in the previous NBA season are no longer relevant to his career - that is, he wants to prove that a fresh start with James Harden and the rest of the team is all he needs to put his Denver Nuggets stint behind him.

"I was like before I even came to the team I was talking to James [Harden]," shared Ty Lawson in an earlier interview with Fox Sports. The former Denver Nuggets star added, "I was like 'man get me over there.' I'll be that piece to (help) get over the hump. It's definitely a breath of fresh air." Speaking about his observations of the Houston Rockets last NBA season, Ty Lawson noted a few ways to improve the gameplay of MVP runner up James Harden.

He shared, "I feel like last year watching the playoffs, they definitely need another playmaker. You could tell James got a little bit tired. He had to come down and score and make passes every time on the court. So I just want to relieve a little bit of pressure for him the best way I can."

Meanwhile, the health of Donatas Motiejunas remains in question. While the power forward is reportedly recovering, it looks like the Houston Rockets are reluctant in getting him back in the hardwood. According to Jonathan Feigen, a sports analyst from the Houston Chronicle, the Houston Rockets are determining the workload of Donatas Motiejunas on a weekly basis. Feigen disclosed, "Motiejunas was non-committal about being cleared for camp as he returns from back surgery. Had no specific timetable. Said 'week-to-week.'"

The past NBA season saw Terrence Jones take over the post of Donatas Motiejunas, but some critics say that the former is just not as effective in helping out James Harden. Apart from better execution of moves, Donatas Motiejunas appears to be more comfortable and efficient in maximizing the strengths of Dwight Howard.