In today's look into Heat rumors , the Houston Rockets might be shifting their focus from trading for Kevin Love to courting LeBron James away from the Miami Heat.
Per Matt Moore of CBS Sports (via info obtained from Bleacher Report), Houston is targeting James providing that he opts for free agency - with Chris Bosh also on their radar if they can't land LeBron:
Now, Rockets officials are aiming for the trifecta, with their sights set on the biggest prize of all: LeBron Raymone James.
A long shot? Perhaps. But the Rockets have defied expectations before.
League sources say that Houston is preparing to make an all-out push to land James when free agency opens on July 1, assuming James opts out, as expected. If the Rockets miss out on James, they will turn their full attention to Carmelo Anthony. Chris Bosh is also on the radar.
In order for Houston to have a legitimate shot at King James, they will need to find trade destinations for both Omar Asik and Jeremy Lin in order to remove the two players' $16 million combined cap number off the books.
Secondly, James would have to be willing to take a significant pay cut - something which could be easier to swallow seeing that there is no income tax in Texas.
Finally, the Rockets would have to convince James that leaving Miami (a place where he has gone to four straight NBA Finals) for the uncertainty of Houston is what's best for his career going forward.
All in all, the likelihood of Houston landing James is decidedly slim. Anthony or Bosh could present much more viable options this offseason, though, especially if the Rockets can clear the cap space necessary to make a legitimate run at them.
Bosh, in particular, seemed fatigued in regard to his 2013-14 season with the Heat. If the Rockets can convince him that he will have more "fun" in Houston, he could be willing to sign with them at a fraction of his Miami salary.
Chat Sports will have more on these developments in Houston as additional information is made available.
Follow our Houston Rockets team page for the latest Rockets news!
Back to the Miami Heat Newsfeed