Houston, Daryl Morey got a star in Harden. It’s a start.

For the past year or more, Daryl Morey has been on a quest to get the Rockets an elite player to build around. He went hard after Dwight Howard even with Howard’s people saying he wouldn’t re-sign there. He knows you need an elite player to win in this league.

He’s now got James Harden. The Rockets made a huge move to get the All-Star and Sixth Man of the Year from Oklahoma City. You can bet a max contract extension offer of five years is coming. Of course, the question is will Harden sign it (most guys do their first contract after their rookie deal).

Is Harden the guy the Rockets can build around?

Morey told CSNHouston.com it is.

“We think James is a guy we can build our team around,” Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said on Comcast SportsNet Saturday night. …

“Yeah, we’re very excited,” Morey said. “He’s an All-Star caliber player we’ve been looking to add to the team. Obviously, on the recent Dream Team, youngest player on that team.

“We’re excited. This is an elite offensive player who is solid in all other areas of the game as well.”

For Houston, this is a first big step. They are on the road to relevancy. But this move alone does not have them in the playoffs this year in the West, they still have a long way to go. A lot of pieces to fit in. And that starts with the two stars they already have.

Harden and also acquired Jeremy Lin are both guys who thrive running the pick and roll, so expect to see a lot of that in Houston. That and the team running and getting in the open floor. Because of that Morey thinks his two stars will mesh well.

“They complement each other very well,” Morey said on Comcast SportsNet Houston. “You know, James is a guy who is an elite shooter. Jeremy can break people down, find shooters. James is also great in the pick-and-roll. Both are good in transition, which is how we want to play this year.”

I’m not as sold, at least not yet anyway. I’m not sold on them as a defensive unit in the back court. On the other end of the floor, I think there at the least will be an adjustment period for the two to get used to each other.

My other question is who will be the good pick-and-roll big man for Houston, or more likely do they still need to go get one. Omer Asik was pretty average in limited time in that role in Chicago (just 28 times he got a shot as the roll man and he shot 50 percent according to Synergy). Can just acquired Cole Aldrich be that guy? What about European rookie Donatas Motiejunas?

Morey has to put a lot of pieces still together for the Rockets. They are not in the playoffs.

But to win in the NBA you need stars, you need talent. The Rockets just acquired a lot of talent in the form of Harden. It’s a start.