Could Trevor Ariza make his way back to the Houston Rockets?

Despite losing Trevor Ariza to the Phoenix Suns via free agency this summer, the Houston Rockets and the veteran forward could reunite sooner than expected.

Despite still being regarded as one of the top teams in basketball, the Houston Rockets received arguably their most substantial blow in the offseason, as the franchise failed to retain two of its best defenders during the opening week of free agency.

Just minutes after coming to terms with Chris Paul on a four-year, $160 million deal, Trevor Ariza agreed to sign a one-year, $15 million deal with the Phoenix Suns on July 1. The Rockets also lost Luc Mbah a Moute just eight days later.

Houston will now seek to get prepared for life without the help of its dynamic duo on defense from a season ago.

Yet not all hope is lost, as reports over the last week have indicated that Ariza could actually return to the Rockets sooner rather than later.

According to a recent article from Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post, Houston could seek to welcome back the 33-year-old forward should he receive a buyout from Phoenix next season.

"“Ariza is on a large expiring contract on a team that is going to be, even with its improvements, among the worst in the West and should be nowhere near a playoff spot,” wrote Bontemps.“That could lead to Ariza being a buyout candidate. And who could use him more than just about any other team? That would be Houston. That would be one possibility to keep in mind for how the Rockets solve their current deficit on the wings.”"

While Bontemps’ theory could be viewed as merely an assertion at the moment, one could argue that a possible third tour of duty in Rockets red (or elsewhere) could be on the horizon for Ariza, as the man who decided to leave H-Town for a larger payday might only be in the desert for a short period of time.

Ariza — who averaged 11.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game with Houston last season — will likely be asked to serve as a mentor to several young forwards on Phoenix’s roster. However, the second-oldest player on the squad will likely find himself on a Suns team that is near the bottom half of the Western Conference standings in 2019.

Should he not garner extended minutes, then the two parties could seek to pursue a buyout with Ariza, leaving the Rockets with a chance to snag the 3-and-D wing at a fairly affordable price come mid-February.

Houston, which currently stands $35 million above the luxury tax line, will more than likely seek to pursue a player on the buyout market. Should Ariza have a desire to return, then the Rockets would boast arguably one of the deepest wing tandems in the NBA.

A reunion would give the 14-year vet a chance to settle some unfinished business from last year, as Houston general manager Daryl Morey might get a chance to run it back with one of his key core pieces alongside Chris Paul and James Harden after all.