The Houston Rockets have numerous questions this offseason and as they chase a Kevin Love trade, a Rajon Rondo trade deal along with free agents like Carmelo Anthony, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dirk Nowitzki, the team must decide what to do about their own players in Chandler Parsons, who has a contract option that could be declined, as well as Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik, who will likely be traded to get one of those deals done.
The Rockets have high hopes for this offseason as they try to bounce back from a first round playoff loss and the Parsons option is one of the biggest issues for the team this offseason. According to Yahoo Sports, the Rockets are going to decline the option on Parsons for next season, which would have paid him the bargain price of $960,000 but would make him an unrestricted free agent after next season. The report says that the team wants to decline the option and pursue a top name player to form a Big 3 with James Garden and Dwight Howard while also working to bring back Parsons if they can. General manager Daryl Morey loves Parsons talent and after making him a second round pick, the Rockets don't want to lose the value in making that selection and developing him into a starting player.
Parsons is 25 years old and this would make him a restricted free agent this summer, meaning the Rockets could match any offer he gets. The Rockets know this is risky, as a team could give him a deal they can't match, which is ironic since the team did that with Jeremy Lin to the Knicks two years ago and now they could be on the other side of one of those deals. The Rockets have long been interested in a Rajon Rondo trade and they also plan on chasing Kevin Love and Carmelo Anthony this offseason, hoping to make one of those players the third piece next to Harden and Howard.
The report from Yahoo writes that the Rockets are planning on keeping Parsons if they can and the deadline for the option is June 30 and they could look at matching any offer and working out a long term contract as long as they can afford it. To do that the Rockets will likely have to trade both Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin, who are coming into the final years of their contracts. The trades with those players could be tough, but it will be easier than last year since the contracts are expiring now. Last season the Rockets and Celtics nearly had a deal for Asik, but Morey would not put Parsons in and that broke things down.
Anthony is the main target, but the team could also be in the ballpark for Love or Rondo, as Morey would love to snag the Celtics point guard. The Knicks and Bulls are going after Anthony as well and Houston could try and sway him with their Big 3 and the chance of winning a title. Anthony may not leave NYC, but after the way the Knicks played last season there is definitely a realistic shot for Houston to get him.
