NBA Rumors: Austin Reaves, Dillon Brooks among free agency targets of Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are expected to have a busy summer with their large cap space and the No. 4 pick in the draft. The Rockets will have around $60 million in cap space to spend in the offseason. The latest NBA rumors suggest that Austin Reaves and Dillon Brooks are among their targets in free agency.
According to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, the Rockets main target in free agency is James Harden, who could provide leadership and stability at point guard. Iko also named Reaves and Brooks, as well as Brook Lopez and Cam Johnson, the players Houston might go after this summer.
But if the Harden reunion doesn't materialize, the Rockets will take a look at Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson and Donte DiVincenzo. Reaves and Johnson are restricted free agents, which means the LA Lakers and Brooklyn Nets can match any offers.
Austin Reaves has been a revelation for the LA Lakers since the latter half of the regular season. Reaves was clearly the third-best player for the Lakers in the playoffs. He'll be a hot commodity in free agency, but the Lakers are likely to match any offers to avoid having another Alex Caruso-like blunder.
Meanwhile, Dillon Brooks is coming off a very interesting postseason. Brooks "poked the bear" and paid for it. He still made the All-Defense Second Team, but his shooting could be a deterrent for most teams.
Cam Johnson was injured for most of this season and was part of the Kevin Durant trade. He's one of the best stretch big men in the game, an instant offense off the bench. As for Brook Lopez, he had his best defensive season of his career at age 35.
Mike Conley is no James Harden, but he's a veteran that could help out a very young locker room. Jordan Clarkson and Donte DiVincenzo are not natural point guards and might just be last options for the Houston Rockets.
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What will the Houston Rockets do with the No. 4 pick?
The Houston Rockets had the same chances of landing the first overall pick in this year's NBA draft as the San Antonio Spurs. Unfortunately for the Rockets, they only got the No. 4 pick and could have several options for it.
Amen Thompson is the likely fourth overall pick and will fit in Houston as a raw point guard full of potential. The Rockets can also package the No. 4 selection to move up to the No. 2 pick owned by the Charlotte Hornets to get Scoot Henderson.
Houston can also attach the fourth overall pick to another player in exchange for a star who could help the team's transition from losing to winning. It will be interesting to see what the Rockets front office has in store this offseason.
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