Well before NBA free agency began, this was predicted to be the summer NBA All-Star James Harden made his return to the Rockets.
The table was set with Harden poised to walk away from his $35.6 million player option to remain with the Philadelphia 76ers. But by last month’s NBA Draft it was clear a Rockets reunion with their one-time star was not in their plans.
Instead, the Rockets have used their nearly $60 million in free agent shopping money to bring in some players who won’t necessarily make them instant contenders in the Western Conference, but who will help turn the page on their NBA bottom-feeder existence these past few seasons.
General Manager Rafael Stone has made some bold moves to add veterans Fred VanVleet (guard), Brook Dillon (small forward) and well-traveled forward Jeff Green to a roster that will now have a toughness and an edge that hasn’t been seen in Houston in years.
Credit: Associated Press
It’s believed VanVleet, a one-time undrafted player who rose to stardom in Toronto, was new coach Ime Udoka’s top-target all along and not Harden. The three-year, $130 million deal the Rockets struck shows just how important the Rockets believe VanVleet’s addition to the backcourt will be.
The signing of Brooks, meanwhile, hasn’t been met with nearly as much optimism. Brooks became a controversial figure and scapegoat in Memphis this past season because of some of his antics, particularly those aimed at Los Angeles star LeBron James.
But there is no question the value Brooks will add to the Rockets young roster that includes Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Sengun and rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore. Brooks brings instant grit and toughness and a willingness to take on the toughest defensive assignment night after night.
Credit: Associated Press
Teams seemed reluctant to take on Brooks’ baggage, but Stone went hard after what he knew was missing on his roster, jumping in a five-team sign-and-trade transaction that landed Brooks for four years and $80 million. The Rockets also mortgaged some of what seemed to be their future to land Brooks, trading away recent first-round picks Josh Christopher, Usman Garuba and TyTy Washington, along with KJ Martin and a couple of future second-round draft picks in that five-team sign-and-trade deal.
The addition of Green, who is back for his second stint with the Rockets, is another heads up move by Stone and the Rockets’ front office. Like VanVleet and Brooks, Green is a tested veteran who has made deep playoff runs. Green is fresh off being a key component of the Denver Nuggets winning the NBA Championship. He also won a NBA title with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Those experiences should prove invaluable to a young team learning how to win.
Now, how these additions, which also include Aaron Holiday and Jock Landale, will play out on the court remains to be seen. It would seem to make sense that Udoka would want to surround talented leading scorer Jalen Green with VanVleet starting at the point and Brooks at small forward. You don’t pay VanVleet and Brooks the salaries the Rockets have to bring them off the bench.
But Thompson, who was drafted fourth overall, will certainly have to factor into the rotation. Then, there is Kevin Porter, Jr., who has started at point guard the past two seasons and remains on the roster, but he seems to be a trade candidate at some point.
What we do know is that Green, Sengun and Smith are the starting core and who the Rockets go about filling the roles around them remains to be seen. But what’s clear is that the Rockets will be better and almost certainly out of the NBA Lottery this upcoming season.
