Tad Brown, CEO of the Houston Rockets, will step down after the 2020-21 season, announced Brown himself on Friday.

"It's time to move on, and it's time to take on other adventures that we're looking forward to. It's been the greatest honor of my professional life to lead this organization. It's been the ride of a lifetime," said Brown.

Brown first joined the Rockets in 2002 as vice president of corporate development in 2002. Having been promoted as CEO in 2006, Brown has been working in that position for 15 years. He was there witnessing and being involved in a series of big moments of the team, including the drafting of Yao Ming, the arrival of Tracy McGrady, the history record 22 straight wins in 2008, the trade of James Harden, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook as well as the first NBA Finals trip since 1995 that came so close happening in 2018.

According to Brown, he actually started within the same week with Yao.

Brown's resignation will turn the Rockets further different from that it has been in these years. Coach Mike D'Antoni has left before Paul, Westbrook and Harden did. Of course, all of those happened after Tilman Fertitta bought the team from Leslie Alexander for $2.2 billion in September 2017.

"It was a really challenging fall. The people who left meant a lot to me," said Brown, acknowledging that the changes of the franchise influenced his decision.

"On behalf of the entire Rockets organization and my family, I want to thank Tad for his stellar and tireless service to the Houston Rockets franchise. I could not have asked for a better leader to work with since becoming owner," said Fertitta in a statement.

The Rockets are currently at the starting stage of rebuilding. They officially said goodbye to the playoffs on Thursday. With so many draft picks they have collected via previous deals, it should not be hard to wipe that pain. John Wall, Eric Gordon, even coach Stephen Silas are unlikely to be part of the team's future. So the question is: Who will leave next?