It almost seems irresponsible to encourage the Houston Rockets to make any more moves after all the bedlam they caused in the first few days of NBA free agency. They used their ample cap space to land Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, thereby filling their biggest deficiency of veteran leadership. A couple more trades and minor signings later, and their roster should basically be set, right?
Wrong. While general manager Rafael Stone has done an admirable job of trying to shorten the length of this rebuild, Houston should still have some turbulence to endure. The team is young, offensively inefficient and just brought in a new head coach in Ime Udoka. Most, if not all, of their changes should have a positive impact going into next year. But a bit more is needed.
Overpaying VanVleet to be the glue guy and Brooks an igniter on defense is forward thinking and could be a blueprint many rebuilding teams opt to use in the future. Yet, Houston is still missing a crucial component it must obtain in order to be a legitimate playoff team.
The Rockets have bought their way out of the Western Conference cellar and are making significant headway, but we need to focus on the big need they still must address after a lively first weekend of 2023 NBA free agency.
Rockets have spent some serious money to start off free agency 😳 pic.twitter.com/n0NE6Jy8Dk
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 1, 2023
Rockets need shooting
Now, it can be argued that by bringing in someone like Fred VanVleet to head up the offense, budding stars like Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. will have better looks on the perimeter and therefore help Houston become a much-improved 3-point shooting squad. But that is no easy task for the 2019 NBA champion, as he will be learning a new system with a different coach.
The Rockets have been extremely aggressive so far and should not stop now. Their big moves are obviously done, but there are inexpensive routes to take for some shooting help. The remaining pool of free agents includes multiple veterans who could be willing to join this new-look group.
Danny Green has three rings already and might not see going to a title contender as a top priority anymore. He may just want to join an exciting franchise that is on the rise before calling it a career. The 36-year-old will have some rust to shake off after playing in only 11 games last season, but if Green is up for a challenge, then he can be a strong catch-and-shoot option for Houston. If nothing else, he is an additional veteran and champion who can mold the up-and-comers.
Svi Mykhailiuk is a practical option who should not be overly difficult to sign. He was lethal from beyond the arc, shooting 42 percent in 32 games with the New York Knicks and Charlotte Hornets last season. Kendrick Nunn also makes sense for the Rockets, despite not being a lights-out shooter. He can get the job done at over 35 percent, which makes him a respectable addition to the locker room.
Malik Beasley could be most intriguing option for Rockets
If the organization fortuitously structures Dillon Brooks' contract, it will have the luxury of going after another young, solid-upside player. Malik Beasley is only 26 and one of the more underrated talents still on the board. He is better than last season's 35 percent shooting from 3-point land indicates, as he took more than eight attempts per game. Adding a player who can drain buckets while being contested would be huge for the Rockets and bring a whole new dimension to Udoka's offense.
Fred VanVleet is historically a dependable shooter, last year not withstanding, but he already has enough on his plate. His job is to change the culture of this franchise and push the younger guys through the remainder of this development process, as noted by Vator. One of these aforementioned targets, and even a couple more we did not name, can boost one of the league's worst shooting teams.
This is the kind of vocal leadership Fred VanVleet is bringing to the Houston Rockets. It starts in practice.
“It’s hard to get better when you’re cheating the process. You’re skipping steps.” pic.twitter.com/8xJi6EoMXo
— V̷a̷t̷o̷r̷ (@VatorSports) July 3, 2023
This franchise cannot be too picky. Any competent perimeter player helps. Putting forth such a strong effort in free agency without checking off everything on the to-do list feels contradictory to this daring approach. While the game has gotten a bit carried away with the 3-point shot, Houston has no choice but to adapt. This does not need to be Mike D'Antoni 2.0, but it also cannot be brick city for another year.
The Rockets are not yet talented enough in other areas to fully compensate for such a massive hole. A successful offseason can be made even better if they fill it in NBA free agency. This is not the time to be content and slow down. They have to maintain this breakneck pace for just a little longer.
