The Houston Rockets are on the move this summer.
According to local sources, the Rockets will look to add another guard if they can’t land James Harden.
It makes sense for the Rockets to target Harden and no one else this summer. He has a player option after the season, and he hasn’t exactly been a championship contender with the Philadelphia 76ers. Adding him to Houston could be a huge boost.스포츠토토
Not only do the Rockets have a number of prospects and multiple draft picks, but they also have plenty of salary cap space. Prospects like Jaylen Green, Jabari Smith Jr. and Al-Farouq Senghun could be good pieces for Harden, or they could be used as trade cards to add depth, depending on the situation. Same goes for the draft pick. It wouldn’t be out of the question to use them in a trade.
Most importantly, they have good financial management. They don’t have a lot of veterans on their roster, so they have the lowest total salary. Naturally, they can afford to pay Harden top dollar, and they can jump on other star signings. If Harden and another All-Star were to be added to the roster, the Rockets would be able to add to their existing talent or make a trade for a prospect and a draft pick to bolster their roster immediately.
But if the Rockets can’t hold onto Harden, they’ll likely try to land another veteran guard. Chris Paul (Phoenix) and Mike Conley (Minnesota), who may not be able to fulfill their contracts after the season. They are signed through at least the upcoming 2023-2024 season. However, their contracts are not fully guaranteed, so they could be released. If they do hit the market, Houston could be in the running.
Inexperience was a major problem for the Rockets last season. With so many young players, it was difficult to organize and settle the team down. It makes sense that the Rockets would want to bring in an experienced power forward if possible to help the younger players develop and push the team forward. If Harden isn’t available, Paul or Conley could be good alternatives.
However, Paul is currently expected to stay in Phoenix. He doesn’t seem like a realistic target. The same goes for Conley. Even if Minnesota were to do a partial rebuild, it would be easier to trade Conley than let him walk. Even if he were to hit the trade market, it’s doubtful the Rockets would want to hold onto him in a trade.
Meanwhile, the Rockets are also interested in filling other positions. Brook Lopez (Milwaukee), Dillon Brooks (Memphis), Cameron Johnson (Brooklyn), and Austin Reeves (Lakers). Lopez is an unrestricted free agent because his contract expired, while Brooks was not re-signed by the Memphis Grizzlies. Johnson and Reeves are restricted free agents. Reeves is expected to stay.