Jeremy Lin, Chandler Parsons and two rookies grace new Rockets billboard

The Houston Rockets have a new billboard up, complete with some faces of the team placed next to the team’s brand new slogan, ‘A New Age.’ Guess which Rockets’ “star” is notably absent? Yup, it’s Kevin Martin. Apparently leading the team in scoring the past few years just can’t outweigh the absolute certainty that Martin will not be a Rocket by this time next year.

Instead, we get Jeremy Lin (of course), Chandler Parsons (quickly becoming the new Shane Battier of the group after a single season) and then two of the four talented rookies on the roster: Donatas Motiejunas and Royce White. That makes two probable Rockets starters (Lin and Parsons) and two probable backups. No Kevin Martin, no Omer Asik, no Patrick Patterson and no Jeremy Lamb, the rookie Houston took ahead of the other three.

It’s an interesting move from the marketing office. White has garnered enough publicity to merit some billboard space, but placing Motiejunas there is curious. I would assume that marketing works hand-in-hand with the front office in determining which players A) Will be around long enough to market, and B) Are good enough to market. Choosing Motiejunas over a few starters and two notable American rookies (only saying this because of college basketball’s tremendous following) makes quite an impression, eh?

via Lin, Parsons and two rookies grace new Rockets billboard – The Dream Shake.