The Houston Rockets enjoyed a superb 2023 NBA Draft. They selected two players who were originally both projected to go within the top 10 of the draft in Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore. Whitmore ultimately fell in the draft, which led to Houston selecting him as well. With a solid young core led by Jalen Green, Houston's future is growing increasingly bright. Houston could compete during the upcoming 2023-24 campaign with a strong performance in 2023 NBA free agency.

The Rockets have been tied to a number of various free agents this offseason. James Harden has most commonly been associated with the Rockets, as some people around the NBA believe he will return to Houston. But there are plenty of different free agents who would make sense for Houston. Without further ado, let's take a look at the four best Rockets free agency targets following the 2023 NBA Draft.

Bruce Brown

Bruce Brown is going to earn a quality contract this offseason following his performance with the NBA champion Denver Nuggets. Denver would love to re-sign Brown, but it remains to be seen whether or not they can find the necessary salary space to do so. If Brown ends up departing from Denver, Houston makes sense as a landing destination.

Brown is versatile enough to impact the Rockets in different ways. At 6'9, he can guard players in the post or on the wing. He's also a good defender, something that the Rockets would certainly benefit from.

Offensively, Brown could earn a larger role in Houston. He would not be the go-to scorer by any means, but he also wouldn't be an offensive liability. Brown is going to be a popular candidate this offseason, but the Rockets should take a chance and pursue him.

Brook Lopez

The Rockets feature a young team with decent guard/wing depth. Brook Lopez is the perfect fit for the Rockets, as he's a veteran big man.

The only concern with Lopez is that he's going to be seeking a lucrative contract, and is already 35-years old. There's no guarantee how long he will continue to perform at a high level. That said, Lopez's veteran prowess in the post should be enough to intrigue Houston. Additionally, he hasn't shown many signs of slowing down.

Khris Middleton

Related Houston Rockets NewsArticle continues below
boston celtics, boston celtics trade, celtics trade proposal
3 early Boston Celtics trade targets in 2025 NBA offseason
The Houston Rockets invested heavily into Fred VanVleet during the 2023 offseason. Houston gave the point guard a three-year, $128 million deal in a move that was meant to turn the Rockets from a rebuilding team into a championship contending one. The signing did just that, as the Rockets finished the 2024-25 regular season as the two-seed in a stacked Western Conference. VanVleet was the veteran presence and 3-point shooter that the team desperately needed, and he still might have a role with the Rockets going forward. Houston has a team option on his contract for next year, and they very well may pick it up. The Wichita State product reportedly wants to stay in Houston, but the point guard would be set to make over $44 million next season under his current contract. The Rockets and their guard recently pushed back the deadline on Houston's decision with VanVleet, and although reports suggest that they are interested in writing up a new, long-term deal, it isn't necessarily a guarantee that VanVleet will be playing for Houston next year. The Rockets blew him away with an offer he couldn't refuse back in 2023, and another team could so the same when/if he hits the open market this offseason. If VanVleet does become an unrestricted free agent, which teams outside of Houston would make the most sense for him to sign with? 1. Orlando Magic Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner recently signed big deals with the Orlando Magic, and Paolo Banchero will be getting a mega contract extension here soon. Because of that, the Magic no longer have money to blow like they have had in recent years. That will make a deal for another big ticket free agent hard to pull off, especially considering the team signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope last year. If Orlando can make the money work, though, then Fred VanVleet would be a great fit with the Magic. The Magic finished dead last in 3-point shooting this season, and VanVleet has made at least 2.5 deep balls per game in every season since 2018-19. VanVleet can hit shots form behind the arc off of the bounce or in catch-and-shoot situations. The Rockets were heavily reliant on his shooting expertise, so the guard would have plenty of familiarity getting up deep shots with high volume if he signed with the Magic. While undersized, VanVleet is a pesky defender, so he'd fit right in with a Magic team that has one of the best defensive units in the league. VanVleet could play alongside Suggs and give opposing teams fits. Ultimately, though, the Magic just need more shooting to get to the next level, and VanVleet is arguably the best shooter who could be available on the open market this offseason. 2. Brooklyn Nets A more realistic option for a VanVleet destination would be the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are set up to have the most cap space this offseason, and they have a major need at point guard. With D'Angelo Russell and De'Anthony Melton hitting free agency this offseason, the Nets don't have a true point guard under contract for next season. Brooklyn needs to spend big this offseason, and they'd be smart to offer VanVleet a contract big enough that he'd have no choice but to leave Houston. VanVleet averaged 14.1 points per game last season, which was his lowest mark since 2018-19. He is trending the wrong way, but he still has enough left in the tank to give the Nets a few good seasons. 3. Portland Trail Blazers In the same way that the Rockets were looking to take the next step in 2023, the Portland Trail Blazers could use VanVleet's presence to get over the hump. The Trail Blazers have plenty of big man depth, as centers Deandre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams, and Duop Death are all under contract next season. Portland also has a lot of wing depth. Deni Advija started to look like a star late this past season, Toumani Camara is an elite defender, Shaedon Sharpe is a freakish athlete, and Jerami Grant is a proven scorer. The team is thinner in the backcourt, though. Anfernee Simons is a solid scorer, but Scoot Henderson has looked like a fringe draft bust since being drafted third overall. Portland shouldn't give up on Henderson completely, but there wouldn't be any harm in signing another guard. Like the Magic, the Blazers were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA. VanVleet would improve that weakness, and in a stacked Western Conference, Portland needs all of the help they can get if they are to compete for a playoff spot.
Ranking 3 best Fred VanVleet free-agency destinations if he leaves Rockets

The Rockets have been linked to Khris Middleton in free agency. Middleton is an established veteran but is still only 31-years old. Injuries were problematic for him last year, but Middleton is still worth pursuing.

For his career, he owns a 38.8 three-point percentage. However, Middleton is more than just a shooter. He can find the bottom of the net from different areas on the floor and is going to work hard on defense as well. He's also not a bad rebounder and playmaker, averaging 4.8 rebounds per game and 3.8 assists per game for his career.

Similarly to Lopez, Middleton's veteran leadership would prove to be pivotal for the Rockets as they continue to build a winning team. Houston has the young talent and adding a player like Middleton would only help matters moving forward. The move would benefit Middleton as well, as he would be able to step out of Giannis Antetokounmpo's shadow and immediately become one of the premier players on the Rockets.

James Harden

Finally, the player we've all been waiting for, James Harden.

Harden very well could return to the Philadelphia 76ers. Recent rumors suggest that is likely at this point, but anything can happen when it comes to NBA free agency. The opportunity to lead a team he used to play for may appeal to Harden.

The entire Rockets franchise would be impacted by adding a superstar like James Harden. Although Harden can be an isolation player, he's also an excellent passer. As a result, many other Rockets players would potentially see their scoring averages increase with Harden distributing the basketball.

As mentioned with Lopez and Middleton, the Rockets need a veteran leader on the court. Harden is a player who fits that role without question. Although nothing is guaranteed and Harden may opt to play elsewhere, the Rockets must pursue him in free agency.