The Houston Rockets missed on the big names this summer, but the team could look at Eric Bledsoe on the free agent market or a trade for Goran Dragic with the Phoenix Suns, as Daryl Morey is looking to make a Big 3 with James Harden and Dwight Howard and if Celtics star Rajon Rondo is not available, the team may try to pull off another move to get a key player in the fold heading into the season.
According to ESPN.com reporter Marc Stein, the Rockets are looking to add a third star to their group and this comes after the team missed on the Kevin Love trade as well as signing Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh as free agents. Stein writes that the Rockets are looking at Rondo and Dragic as potential trade options and Morey is hoping he can swing a deal with the Celtics after missing out on the free agents, as he sees the Rockets as a championship team if they have a better point guard.
Stein writes that Dragic could be a target for teams this summer and this season, as he is getting close to free agency and will be likely in line for a raise. According to Pro Basketball Talk, the issues with Bledsoe could play out for both Dragic and the restricted free agent, as the Suns appear to have some leverage right now with Dragic, Isaiah Thomas and Tyler Ennis on the roster. Bledsoe reportedly wants five years and PBT reports that the Suns feel their offer of four years, $48 million was a fair one to make.
Bledsoe is a great talent and he deserves to get paid, but he likely does not yet merit a max extension. Bledsoe has missed time in each of the past two years and while he has immense talent, it's a ton of money to commit to one player. The Suns want Bledsoe back and right now they have some backup options with Dragic, Ennis and Thomas all in the backcourt.
The Rockets came into the offseason looking to improve and most people think they did not do that, as they lost Chandler Parsons and traded Jeremy Lin while signing Trevor Ariza. While Ariza is actually a very solid signing for the team, he doesn't trump what Melo or Bosh would have meant and he also likely cannot totally make up for what the team lost on offense with Chandler Parsons going to the Mavericks.
The Rockets feel that Ariza gives the team a boost on defense as well as offense and now they have Dwight Howard and James Harden leading the way again, but this time names like Parsons, Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik are gone. Parsons signed an offer sheet with the Mavericks that the Rockets felt was too big to match and now they have to find someone to make up what he brings in offense. Ariza averaged 14.4 points and six rebounds last season for the Wizards and he was one of the main reasons why the team was in the playoffs.
The Rockets have moves they can make and Daryl Morey is known as an outside the box thinker, so don't be surprised if they pull off something this year.
