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Houston Rockets: Defending The Offseason Title

By Mauricio Putz

May 2, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) reacts after Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) last second shot in the second half in game six of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center.Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
May 2, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) reacts after Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) last second shot in the second half in game six of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs at the Moda Center.Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Man, Houston Rockets fans have tons of reasons to be excited for the offseason.

Do we? Do tell more!

It’d be my pleasure.

For romantic Rockets fans, this summer marks the 20th anniversary of Michael Jordan‘s baseball catastrophe, which led to: (1) The Forgotten Finals, epic battle between Patrick Ewing and Hakeem Olajuwon, two of the league’s most “decorated” big men; and, (2) the first of their back-to-back NBA championships.

For contemporary Rockets fans, this is the summer where they’ll most likely probably get their own big three. Whether it’s Kevin Love or Carmelo Anthony, the Rockets have joined the Chicago Bulls as favorites in landing one of the league’s most coveted free agents of the summer and, with James Harden and Dwight Howard on deck, assembling the first big three in franchise history.

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Could we get both?

Absolutely not.

So, is it good to have a big three?

You bet your top dollar it is! Six of the last seven NBA Finals have featured a big three (2008 Celtics, 2010 Celtics, 2011 Heat, 2012 Heat, 2013 Heat, 2014 Heat).

But wait, what about the egos?

Well, you can go back to “The Decision” and feast on “LeBron James vs. Dwyane Wade“ ego-related content and you’ll find out that those egos brought the Heat four straight trips to the NBA Finals.

Hmmm, somehow I’m not convinced. Would you mind giving me some pros and cons?

Not at all!

  • Pro. It’s been publicly known that both Melo and Love, are looking to improve their chances of winning in the league. With the Miami Heat taking absolute control of the East, and with the super-powered West, it would seem that the only way to do this feat is by joining a well-built team with established leaders and role players (i.e. Bulls or Rockets).
  • Pro. The Rockets have only $63 million committed for next season and are two trades away (read: Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin) and shedding all their non-guaranteed money, from getting to $54 million which is plus or minus $9 million under the 2014-15 cap. (Note: Chicago has $66 million for next season and they’d have to trade Taj Gibson to be near Houston’s salary, to go under Houston they’d have to trade Carlos Boozer. As I said, we’re not talking about the Bulls). Having $9 million under the cap gives them a chance to take on Melo/Love for big money even though they’d go over the cap and big money would ensue (never mind, this is a Con).
  • Con. Ownership is not willing to spend that much money. Balloon payments are coming soon for Houston unless the team shops Lin and Asik (both at $14.8 million). Adding a high paid player, as Carmelo/Love is/wishes to be, would only aggravate the situation.
  • Con. Melo is not willing to take that much less money. He’s bound to get $23.5 million next season and the Knicks are the only team that could get him five years and $115 million in 2015-16.

I’m all-in Houston’s big three era! Did we just become back-to-back offseason champions?

YES YOU DID! Just don’t hang any banners for it.

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