The Houston Rockets have a major decision to make on Chandler Parsons and what they decide may affect a trade for Kevin Love, a Rajon Rondo trade or signing Carmelo Anthony, as the team can make him a restricted free agent by declining his player option and in RFA free agency, teams like the Miami Heat, NY Knicks, LA Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago Bulls all could show interest in the former second round pick.
Parsons has the chance to be a restricted free agent this summer and according to Yahoo Sports, the Rockets are planning on making him one. The report says that the team will decline the option on Parsons' contract, which would make him an RFA in 2014 rather than an unrestricted free agent in 2015. Parsons would have made $964,000 next season with the option and while that is cheap for the Rockets, it could turn out pricier if they want to re-sign him later and that is one reason why Morey is taking the chance now. The team feels it can control the situation here and now they will try and find a way to bring in a big star and also hang onto Parsons.
ESPN.com reports that a number of teams would be interested in Parsons as an unrestricted free agent and that is why the team wants to take this route. ESPN writes that the Rockets feel they can add a big player and still sign Parsons and the only way to do that would be to trade Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik. The Rockets are going to try and push those deals to try and get Anthony, Rondo or Love and then they will try and sign Parsons as well.
Last season the Rockets went 54-28 and were very successful in the first season with Dwight Howard, but the team lost in the first round of the playoffs and now must find a way to bounce back next season. Howard was very productive in his first year and he played very well alongside James Harden and now GM Daryl Morey will do his best to find a way to get another star alongside his two big names. The Rockets have long been interested in Rajon Rondo and they also reportedly are looking at Carmelo Anthony as an option in free agency and Parsons could be key to both, as his contract may play a part in what the Rockets do.
Yahoo is reporting that the Rockets will decline the option and that makes him a restricted free agent and while the team has the chance to keep him, it could be difficult to pull off. The Rockets want to keep Parsons since he has turned into a great player from the second round of the draft, which doesn't happen too often, but he may end up being too pricey to keep. The team has the chance to match any offer for him, but they could get put in a situation where they can't afford to match, which is what happened when the Rockets signed Jeremy Lin from the Knicks.
