Kevin McHale clashed with his veterans last season, including Kyle Lowry. (Getty Images)

It took a full season for those outside of Houston to catch on to what was happening. We'd become so accustomed to things running normally for the Rockets. Even with a new coach, as long as the Rockets were chugging along at their almost-but-not-quite-playoffs pace, everything seemed to be status quo in what was a difficult season to keep track of because of the frenetic pace. 

But late in the year, there started to be indications. Kevin Martin's diminished role. Some grousing from veterans. Then, what seemed out of the blue, star point guard Kyle Lowry unloaded in the press about how he didn't see things being repaired between coach Kevin McHale and him. 

Lowry was traded to Toronto. Luis Scola was amnestied and picked up by Phoenix. Chase Budinger was traded to Minnesota. Three rookies were drafted, including Jeremy Lamb, who plays a similar role to Martin. Goran Dragic was allowed to depart in free agency. It was change, change, everywhere. 

Now with a younger roster that barely resembles the one that fell just a few winning percentage points short of the postseason, McHale prepares for a new year, and his line of thought is that the big reason for the discord last year? The lockout schedule. From the Houston Chronicle: 

“It’s much more comfortable just knowing that we’re here, planning with the coaches, having players coming in and out, being able to talk to them about what we’re envisioning,” McHale, 54, said. “We’re just getting a comfort level with each other as opposed to having the lockout lifted, two days and then getting started.”

Last season, the first time most Rockets players heard McHale’s voice (unless they were fans of NBA TV or “Cheers” reruns) was when he was furious with the terrible and revealing first practice. As players pushed back, objecting to his changes and demands, McHale often cited the lockout and inability to forge relationships before he began the December rush to the season.

via Ultimate Rockets » McHale welcomes benefits of a full Rockets training camp.

McHale says in the interview that though the team is young, at least they'll have a chance to build up from the ground. He's specifically saying that the younger players are more willing to give him "one more" than the veterans were last year: 

“I think that takes time,” McHale said. “Starting anew, just being around the guys helps. They got to realize that this is a job and it’s a hard job and there are times you are going to get on them, but it’s never personal.

“It’s different, but there is an excitement level to it with so many young guys you can mold and push in a direction you want. Last year, we almost had a work stoppage. I thought we were going to have a union picket line like we were working too hard. These guys, you push them, you tell them, ‘I need one more,’ they’re very willing workers. We got there last year, but it took probably two months.”

via Ultimate Rockets » McHale welcomes benefits of a full Rockets training camp.

It makes you wonder if McHale isn't better suited to younger rosters that don't have the veteran experience to go "No, not going to do that, Coach, but thanks." It's just a different approach. McHale wants his guys super-hungry, and the grind tends to get players to coast for long stretches of the year. 

You're going to want to keep an eye on how this team's doing at the All-Star break and how worn down it is. If McHale's belief is the lockout prevented him from pushing his players as much as he wanted last year, and he's got more time and actual time for practices, the Rockets could be in for a ... er ... challenging season, physically. 

As Metta World Peace would say, "Physically, it could be bad timing for the Rockets." 

But if everyone buys in, McHale could push a young club to a big first step in its first year of the revamp.