We’re in the beginning stages of the Houston Rockets' offseason preparations, and there are plenty of plots and subplots to follow during July’s free agent push. Here are three things to know about their free agency plans:
**UPDATED 6/30 8:33 PM ET**
Rockets showing interest in Carlos Boozer
Houston is looking for an upgrade at the power forward position in case they can't resign Josh Smith, and they've reportedly targeted Carlos Boozer as someone they want to go after. Brooklyn, Dallas, San Antonio, Miami, and the Lakers are also interested in the 33-year-old, who averaged 11.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for Los Angeles last season.
Houston to pursue Derrick Williams
Williams hasn't lived up to being the No. 2 pick in the draft in 2011, but the Rockets are intrigued by his athleticism and energy. He averaged 8.3 points and 2.7 rebounds per game for Sacramento last season in a bench role, and would likely serve the same role in Houston.
Draymond Green top free agent target
This deal isn’t financially feasible with the Rockets’ current roster construction, but Corey Brewer, Clint Capela, Terrence Jones, Joey Dorsey, and Donatas Motiejunas are have deals with one year left that could be extremely offloadable in multiple different trade scenarios. It’s feasible that GM Daryl Morey keeps a budget brigade together, holding onto Jones and maintaining optimism that 2015 free agent Josh Smith has truly found his way under head coach Kevin McHale.
Or they could move on from one or both of them in favor of Green, using room from a rising salary cap to invest in a floor-spacing power forward who can open a cavalcade of opportunities for Dwight Howard in the paint and James Harden on the slash and kick.
Re-sign Josh Smith - for a reduced price
Smith hits unrestricted free agency this summer with three years and $20 million worth of pay still on its way from the end of his time in Detroit. He’ll garner some interest around the league, but there’s also a good chance he’ll take a pay cut (not needing the money) and remain in what was a fruitful and enjoyable situation for him working under the tutelage of Kevin McHale in Houston.
Rockets will try to trade for David Lee
Lee is entering the final year of a six-year, $80 million deal with the NBA champs, and could be a target of the Houston Rockets this summer.
I think the most likely scenario involves a team with a lot of non-guaranteed money. Maybe the Rockets, with Kostas Papanikolaou’s non-guaranteed salary of nearly $5MM, would be a fit, though they have no shortage of power forwards. The Sixers always loom as an option to take him on via cap space, but they’d want picks that GSW probably doesn’t want to sacrifice. Lee would look great on the Raptors, but I don’t think they have the assets necessary to get him. So it could be tough for GSW here.
The Warriors are reportedly willing to do whatever they can to move Lee to a situation where he’ll be able to get more playing time after he was squeezed to the back of the team’s rotation with the emergence of Draymond Green this past season.
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