Who do you think the Rockets will target in FA after the Orlando Bubble? The Rockets will only have an MLE and Vet Min contracts to offer so their options are pretty limited. However, I don’t think that many teams will have money to spend so there might be some good values out there. Below is a list of UFA Forwards and Centers that I can see the Rockets going after. Some, like Bertans, will be out of the Rockets price range but I wanted to include them bc Morey is a magician and the players fit the team so well. I also know that the team is going away from Centers so I tried to stay away from players who do not have 3 point range. Forwards: Stanley Johnson (turns out Harden didn’t completely end this guys career) Danilo Gallinari (an MDA favorite) Evan Turner Marcus Morris Markieff Morris John Henson Maurice Harkless Solomon Hill Davis Bertans (too expensive) Jae Crowder Montrezl Harrell (probably staying in LA) Jae Crowder Wilson Chandler Juan Hernangomez Demarre Carrol Centers: Paul Milsap (probably too expensive) Serge Ibaka (bring back the OKC glory days in Houston) Marc Gasol Myers Leonard (probably staying in Miami) Aaron Baynes Alex Len Nerlens Noel Jahil Okafor Christian Wood Jeff Green
Hawks Insider back in MAY...things change but this is Supes says Update: I didn't get any draft information from Atlanta. They are keeping things close to the vest. He told me he thinks Atlanta has their eye on several players but don't want to say anything because this year, the draft is so all over the place with opinions. I did on some other teams draft plan but I won't share those details. This is about FA: He told me this will be an extremely SLOW Free Agency. He said of the top guys available. He thinks most will stay in place. He said the only true FA he sees is Anthony Davis and the feel is he's 100% going to go back to the Lakers. Ingram/Bogi will be matched or just resigned. He said the top heavy PF position is looking like resign heaven. Harrell is likely to look for best offer but LAC will match. I was shocked when he said it but it seems like LAC is all in and the owner doesn't give a damn about the LT. He said Wood is the biggest threat to be stolen but with his early bird rights, it's unlikely he's going anywhere as DET wants to resign him. Davis and Danilo both have deals pretty much done to resign with their teams. He also said Joe Harris is a priority to resign for Brooklyn as well and the owner could care less about the LT even with the losses due to Corona. This is likely due to having contenders and the wealthiest owners in the NBA who don't mind operating at a lost. He mentioned the Knicks really liked Harkless a lot and want to workout a longer term deal. A lot of vets like Marc Gasol and Ibaka want to stay or if they leave, it's to a contender. Not to lesser teams. I asked who are the real FAs then, he said: Paul Millsap - Said Sap is open to staying but it's all about the money considering what's going on with the revenue. Hassan Whiteside - See Millsap Derrick Favors - Favors is a true FA. Pels will have a tough time keeping him. Look for a number of teams who need bigs to be interested. Bismack Biyombo - Looking at a backup job but showed he still got NBA abilities this year. Kent Bazemore - Kings really liked him this year. Likely resign as well as Alex Len Tristan Thompson - Looking for SnT options. LA Teams will be interested, especially Lakers. Bobby Portis - Likely highly available for cheap. Marcus Morris - There will be a bidding war for Morris with contending teams again. I heard the Knicks are interested in bringing him back but LAC wants to keep him. Jordan Clarkson - Utah wants to resign him but he will have options. Possible Hawks prospect. Mason Plumlee - Another big who will have his options. He heard Detroit is interested. Andre Roberson - Teams could buy low Matthew Dellavedova - Delly is open to resigning but he will be an option. He heard LAL is interested. Jerami Grant - Thinks Grant is leaning to opting out but is not as sure handed as he was about it before Corona. Fred VanVleet - Top FA available. Wants to resign. Other teams are interested. We will see. Draft will dictate a lot. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - Likely to resign and Lakers want him but could he be had for a long term deal is what he said. Aron Baynes - He's highly wanted by contenders as a starter. He will have his pick as a FA. At one point people thought he would get more than the MLE but those talks have simmered. I know, depressing for us. No one really available but he said the trade market will be much bigger this year due to Corona but teams want 2021 1st rounders. I know Travis isn't the biggest fan of trading them if at all but maybe he might consider. The name he said that will be available is Buddy Hield. He said their will be more but teams need to clear cap space due to Corona and some was going to do it anyway but Corona will open up the market but the cost isn't cheap. He said the market for 2020 1sts isn't that high even if the demand for value back is like normal, high. But 2021 has equal value and that's going to be the picks that have value to teams. I asked if any other bigger names will be available this summer and he said at this time, he doesn't know but he knows things will heat up some.
Possibly the worst choice for us. Regardless of his defense, we don't need someone who's such a non-threat on offense that his man could help triple-team Harden.
Plan B or C options: Jeff Green Harry Giles Jae Crowder Josh Jackson James Johnson Marvin Williams Nerlens Noel
There are plenty of players that the Rockets have some degree of interest in. The problem is most teams do not know what the future holds financially with COVID, but that is especially true with the Rockets. The Clippers owner will do everything possible financially to win.
Either Gallo or Serge would be terrific but too expensive, ditto for Millsap and Bertans as you noted. Harrell will also be too expensive though I prefer the others
I like Harry Giles as a fit with the Rockets alot. Would Morey need to trade for him and is he on the market?
That’s a decent (realistic) list, although I’d be shocked if James Johnson didn’t exercise his very lucrative player option for next season. Because the Kings didn’t exercise their last team option on Giles, he will be an unrestricted free agent this October.
Gordon is going to have to have one hell of a playoffs for us to even come close to having a team sign one of those guys and give up for Gordon with no picks as sweeteners. Wouldn’t make much sense to take Gordon on for $20M a year for any of those teams.
Miami heat doing a good job from what I see on Twitter attracting free agents. Everyone has an eye out at how they decorated their team floor and stuff also on a side note: Sixers moving Horford to the bench means he’s gonna be available but his price is super high!! I’m hoping the NBA puts in some amnesty provision after this season ends! Maybe he can become a free agent.
