LA Clippers: 3 teams that should pursue a trade for Lou Williams
By Dalton Sell
No. 2 – Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets have had a headline filled offseason to this point with reports that James Harden and Russell Westbrook want out. However, it grows more and more likely each day that they will remain on the roster for next season, especially with how the team is retooling the roster in hopes of competing next year.
Houston has been active in free agency, as they signed Christian Wood and DeMarcus Cousins, forming a captivating tandem in the frontcourt. However, they lost their second unit floor general in the process, as Austin Rivers packed his things to sign with the New York Knicks on a three-year deal worth $10 million. With Rivers out of the picture, the team needs a ballhandler off the bench, and Lou Williams fits the bill.
Bench scoring is also a prominent shortcoming for Houston, another box that Williams checks off. The Rockets ranked 28th in the league in bench scoring in 2019-20, coming in at an abysmal 28.7 points per game. As a scoring specialist, Williams could undoubtedly help spark some life into their depleted second unit offensively.
As previously mentioned, the Rockets are another team that Williams is familiar with, as he played for them in the latter half of the 2016-17 season. Although he was there for a short run of just 36 games, including the postseason, Williams had some high praise for Rockets star James Harden during the 2017 NBA Playoffs. Transcribed by Fran Blinebury:
"“When you play with somebody like James, every time I step out onto the floor I feel like we have an opportunity to win a basketball game.”"
Perhaps reuniting with the former MVP could be of interest for Williams, and it should be for the Houston Rockets too. As Houston attempts to convince Harden to reconsider his trade demands, bringing in a player like Williams could further bolster the organization’s willingness to surround him with talent could be beneficial as they try to repair that rocky relationship.
Time will tell what comes of Harden and Westbrook’s reported desire to get out of Houston, and although landing Williams from the LA Clippers would not solely convince them to stay, it certainly could help.