This post telling people to relax over Ariza's contract got me to thinking not only about that particular acquisition, but why Rockets fans ought not lose hope just yet. 

Firstly, a bit of disagreement with that post: while I might have liked to see Ariza get paid a bit less, I don't know that he was necessarily overpaid.  As reported in the Chronicle, he could have gone with the Raptors and gotten $9 million more, so other teams probably valued him higher.  (Yes, I know that's the Raptors, but last I checked, Bryan Colangelo was hardly considered a dim bulb.)  And that Shaq and Lebron are pursuing him as well should tell you that he's gotten attention from plenty of teams. 

As stated in that Chron link and elsewhere, he had several reasons for selecting Houston: shorter distance to L.A., opportunity to start, etc.  But check this from the Chron story:

"Yeah, I don’t know what’s going to happen with them," Ariza said of McGrady and Yao. "But that team played hard. They always compete and that’s the way I play no matter who is down.

"That team fought without T-Mac and without Yao and I’m a fighter too. I’ve always been a fighter and I’m going to roll with them, with the Rockets."

Translation: this team is more than two players. 

Here's the takeaway:

• We've still got an outstanding core of young talent (Scola, Brooks, Lowry), with other guys possibly in the wings (Joey Dorsey). 
• We've got one of the biggest brains in the game in Shane Battier. 
  
• Yes, we lost out on Gortat.  But the postseason has hardly begun, and things could still shake out with one of the free agent centers.  Besides, unless I'm very much mistaken, there's still plenty of unexplored opportunity in the European and Latin American leagues. 
• Which brings us to the man who has made it all happen: Boy Genius Daryl Morey. 
  

Yes, the situation with Yao sucks royally.  No, the Rockets will not be in title contention next year.  I'll be stunned pleased just to see them back in the playoffs.  But I simply don't see a train going off the rails here. 

So, relax.  Plenty can still happen in this postseason.  If anything, save your emoting for next postseason.  That should be something to see.