Houston Rockets: 5 offseason roster moves they must make

1. Trade one of the stars

Despite the Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta coming out and saying that there was no need to blow up the roster, there is a need. When James Harden was backcourt mates with Patrick Beverley he said he needed more help if he was going to get the team deeper into the playoffs.

Since then he has had the future Hall of Fame candidate Chris Paul and a league MVP in Russell Westbrook as help. Neither of these players have been able to help get the Rockets over the hump into an NBA finals campaign.

Harden has now led the league in scoring for three seasons straight. However, his field goal percentage was lower than that of Westbrook this season. He shot the ball at 44.4 percent from the floor and Westbrook shot it at 47.2 percent.

There was a major difference in 3-point shots but this is showing a level of inefficiency from Harden. Westbrook flourished when small ball became the normal in Houston. He increased the pace of the Rockets from last season and made them very hard to play. He led this team when Harden was on the bench and it was a different team to defend.

However, the problem is that when both of these players are on the court they both need the ball to be at their most effective. Harden had only 17.1 percent of his 843 attempts from deep assisted. He is at his most dangerous when he is creating his own shot.

Likewise, Westbrook is at his best when he has the ball in his hands. He creates space by using his speed and athleticism to get past an opponent. He is then able to find an open player if required. He is also a poor catch and shoot player.

It is difficult to see the Rockets winning a championship with both these players on the same team. The Rockets have expressed no desire to trade Harden but teams like the Philadelphia 76ers are showing interest. A multi-team trade might be in the offing.