Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are one of the most confusing teams in the NBA. With superstar James Harden and star Dwight Howard leading the team, the Rockets should be near the top of the Western Conference standings. They have a good complement of players around them, but they are lacking a point guard.
With an interim head coach, the Rockets may decide that it’s in their best interests to blow the team up and retool. They have already been linked to a Dwight Howard trade to the Celtics, but the asking price was deemed too high for Boston, according to NESN.com. Moving Howard, who has a non-guaranteed contract for the 2016-17 season, would give the Rockets plenty of cap space to address other needs this offseason.
The Rockets have seven players with guaranteed contracts for the 2016-17 season, and two of these may be traded before the Feb. 18 trade deadline. Teams may give veterans Corey Brewer and Trevor Ariza a look to solidify a position on the perimeter. While both have played well for the Rockets, whatever the Rockets are trying to do hasn’t worked. The team is one of the worst defenses in the NBA.
Space City Scoop
Playing the retool option may be best for the Rockets, but they could also do that in the offseason. With the uncertainty of the head coaching position, making a move involving anyone outside of Howard may be controversial since there is no direction for the future. The reason for trading Howard is because he is an expiring contract, but he has a player option for next season, and is is still one of the game’s top centers.
If the Rockets’ asking price is too high, then perhaps they are inclined to compete. That could mean that the Rockets don’t make any moves, unless they can get someone on an expiring contract. That would kill two birds with one stone, acquiring a player that can help them compete and possibly freeing up cap space.
The direction of the Rockets is unclear. But with Howard coming up in trade rumors, he may be on the move before the deadline. Due to the team’s situation without a head coach, it’s unlikely that the Rockets make a serious move other than Howard.
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