Rockets at Howard to go from young team with promise to contender in less than a year

HOUSTON – Last offseason, the Houston Rockets were an afterthought, a young team with little star power.

Now, after trading for James Harden just before the season and adding Dwight Howard on Friday, Houston is suddenly primed to contend sooner than almost anybody expected.

Still, general manager Daryl Morey knows that landing Howard is only the first step in a long process. He tells Comcast SportsNet Houston that while nothing has been accomplished yet, "we're putting something pretty cool together I think."

Howard is the Rocket's latest superstar center, following Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon and eight-time All-Star Yao Ming.