The Houston Rockets are always active on the trade market, with general manager Daryl Morey notorious for making shrewd moves to inch the franchise forward.
The NBA Draft is days away, soon to be followed by free agency, and the trade market in the league is out of control. Paul George and the Indiana Pacers are preparing to part ways, the Los Angeles Lakers shipped one of their top players for salary space, and it's only just begun.
The Rockets are hoping to get in on the action, wanting additional salary space so they too can play the free agency game this summer. Houston had a great run in head coach Mike D'Antoni's first season, led by triple-double machine James Harden.
Houston is reportedly making Ryan Anderson, Lou Williams and Patrick Beverly available on the trade market, reports Marc Stein of ESPN. Beverly and Anderson have been a big part of the Rockets' identity, while Williams was a trade deadline acquisition last season.
The Rockets have their eyes on the major prizes of the summer, planning to pursue Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Paul Millsap and Kyle Lowry, according to Stein. Houston won 55 games and had one of the league's most effective offenses with just one star last year.
Trading ahead of free agency is a risky decision by the Rockets, but the NBA Draft is one of the last big opportunities to make significant roster moves before free agency. This is important to Houston because they need salary space before free agency begins on July 1.
Rockets general manager Morey is one of the NBA's most creative front office visionaries, constructing numerous out-of-nowhere trades over the years. His acquisition of Harden from the Oklahoma City Thunder remains one of the most lopsided superstar trades in modern NBA history.
Houston had a great season but flamed out in the playoffs, losing to a San Antonio Spurs team sans Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard in six games. Getting some additional help alongside Harden wouldn't just be big for the Rockets, but seemingly necessary to take the next step.
Landing a marquee talent like Griffin would be ideal for the Rockets, giving Harden a pick-and-roll partner that would mesh perfectly with his skills. Chris Paul would be a huge defensive upgrade, as would Kyle Lowry. Paul Millsap would
The NBA offseason has been moving a mile a minute, and the Rockets are surveying the field to see where they can get in on the action.