The Houston Rockets are ready to trade Jeremy Lin if they can sign Chris Bosh to a max contract and teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks could be potential destinations for the point guard and his large contract and it could clear the way for the Rockets to bring on Bosh while also matching the offer sheet given to Chandler Parsons by the Dallas Mavericks in free agency.
The Rockets have long been considered a destination for Anthony and the team has been planning on trading Lin since last season and he would be the second significant trade for the team after dealing Omer Asik. According to Pro Basketball Talk, The Sixers and the Bucks are two teams that have the salary cap space to trade for Lin and not get too hampered and those destinations could be options for the Rockets as they try and maneuver themselves to get a high profile free agent like Anthony. The Rockets pulled out all the stops for Anthony in their free agent visit, bringing in Dwight Howard to help and putting him up on the main board at the Toyota Center in Lin's jersey number no less. The Rockets moved Asik to the Pelicans to help get some cap space and now if they trade Lin they should be able to bring in Anthony or James on a significant contract.
The Knicks and Lakers are the top teams in the running for Anthony, according to ESPN.com and he could be the major domino to fall that sets off what James does and whether the Rockets trade Lin or not. The Rockets signed Lin two years ago to a three year deal the Knicks couldn't match and he left as a restricted free agent and now the team is looking to trade him and his nearly $10 million salary to sign Anthony and their own RFA in Chandler Parsons, who was a former second round pick from Houston.
The Rockets had the chance to keep Parsons with a team option for less than $1 million this season, but that would have made him an unrestricted free agent after next season. Parsons now is a restricted free agent and the Rockets want to keep him, but they have to wait and see what happens with Anthony and as that goes on, the Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat all have interest in signing him. Lin and Parsons both played well for the Rockets last season and Parsons ended up averaging a career high in points per game and he could parlay that into a nice payday this offseason.
The Rockets made the playoffs last season as the number four team in the west and they were upset by the Blazers and now GM Daryl Morey is looking to make a major move this offseason. The ESPN report says that the Sixers are open to taking on Lin and that GM Sam Hinkie has a relationship with Morey and since the 76ers have the cap space, they could take Lin's contract since it's expiring. The Rockets want Anthony the most, but they will settle for a Chris Bosh deal if they can swing it.