The Rockets now have 4 rookie players on the active roster. SG/SF Chase Budinger has played in 47 games (1 start) for the Rockets this season and he is averaging 19.6 minutes, 8.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. He is a solid bench player. Power forward Jordan Hill was a first round pick of the Knicks and he came over in the T-Mac trade last week. Hill played in 24 games (0 starts) for the Knicks and he averaged 10.5 minutes, 4.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. He has yet to play for the Rockets but he has a nice upside. G/PG Garrett Temple is a undrafted rookie out of LSU. He has played in 5 games (0 starts) for the Rockets this season and he is averaging 14.0 minutes, 5.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. Shooting guard Jermaine Taylor has played in 17 games (0 starts) for the Rockets this season and he is averaging 6.1 minutes, 2.6 points, 0.7 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game.

The Rockets don’t have a lot of playing time available for their rookies but they have shown well when on the court this year. Chase Budinger has played in 27 games (1 start) and he is averaging 18.2 minutes, 8.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. Budinger is a good shooter so the Rockets will probably always be able to find him some minutes. Shooting guard Jermaine Taylor is buried on the depth chart for the Rockets. He has played in 12 games (0 starts) for the Rockets this season and he is averaging 5.8 minutes, 2.0 points, 0.6 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. Taylor is buried on the depth chart.

The Rockets will be without rookie SF/SG Chase Budinger for 2-3 weeks with a ankle injury. Budinger has played in 26 games (1 start) for the Rockets so far this season and he is averaging 18.5 minutes, 8.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. The Rockets will miss Budinger’s outside shooting off the bench while he is out of action.

21-year old small forward Chase Budinger has been solid so far this season for the Rockets. He has played in 8 games (0 starts) for the Rockets this season and he is averaging 18.5 minutes, 9.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Budinger is also a really good shooter from three point range which is the skill that will get him on court often for the Rockets this year. 22-year old shooting guard Jermaine Taylor is the other rookie for the Rockets this season and he has played in 3 games (0 starts) and he is averaging 3.0 minutes and 2.3 points per game. He will have a hard time getting much playing time this year for the Rockets.

The Houston Rockets are a legit NBA Title Contender in 2008-09 which will limit the playing time of rookie power forward Joey Dorsey. Dorsey has only played in 1 game this season for the Rockets and he played 2.5 scoreless minutes. Don’t expect much from him unless the Rockets suffer a lot of injuries.