The Houston Rockets have offered Chris Bosh a max contract extension and that means a trade for Jeremy Lin is ready to go and it likely will be to the Philadelphia 76ers, as the Rockets realize they are now probably out of the Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James sweepstakes as they look to add Bosh for their own Big 3 involving Dwight Howard and James Harden, who had been mentioned in a potential sign and trade with the Knicks for Melo.
According to ESPN.com, the Heat offered Bosh a lower deal and the Rockets have now given him an offer of four years and $96 million, which is the max the team can give. Chris Broussard reports that Bosh is considering the offer and now based on what James does, Bosh could end up leading South Beach after four years and two championships. The Rockets have been targeting big moves this offseason with James and Anthony and they already traded away Omer Asik to free up cap space. Lin and his contract are the next shoe to drop and that would enable the team to try and sign Bosh as well as restricted free agent Chandler Parsons.
The Rockets have Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James as targets this offseason and a trade with Jeremy Lin is likely coming once those players decide their future and teams like the Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks or Orlando Magic could be interested in making a move with the Rockets if they opt to keep James Harden over a sign a trade with New York for Melo.
The Rockets have long been considered a target for Anthony, but this weekend the Lakers emerged as the likely second team behind the Knicks for his services. According to ESPN.com, the Rockets are ready to trade Lin to sign Anthony and the Philadelphia 76ers could be open to making the move for him, as they have enough cap space to fit him on their roster. Lin comes in after having a solid season with the Rockets, but he has a $15 million poison pill contract on his $8.4 million salary and that is why the Rockets are hoping to move him.
Lin and Omer Asik were two players identified as most likely to get traded this offseason and now Asik has been moved and Lin is likely next. The Sixers are an option to take on Lin since they are rebuilding and whatever else they get out of the deal is positive as well. According to ESPN.com, Rockets GM Daryl Morey and Sixers exec Sam Hinkie and friendly after working together and that is another reason why the deal could go down. Even if the Rockets do not sign Anthony, they need some more breathing room for other free agents as well as Chandler Parsons.
Parsons is a restricted free agent and is a target for a number of teams, including the LA Lakers, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks and the Rockets are hoping to retain him as well. Parsons was made an RFA after the Rockets declined his player option for this year and he is a top target for the team to retain.