Rockets Have Multiple Veteran Free Agents on Radar

If the Rockets can’t land 76ers guard James Harden, they could try to steal Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving, as we relayed here.

If they fail to land either, well, it doesn’t appear they will give up in their hopes of a quick turnaround under new coach Ime Udoka.

Per Marc Stein of The Stein Line, Rockets GM Rafael Stone and the front office could have several other free agent targets in their sights. That list is likely to include Raptors guard Fred VanVleet, Nets forward Cam Johnson, Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks, and Bucks forward Khris Middleton and center Brook Lopez.

VanVleet and Middleton, like Harden, are expected to decline player options and enter free agency at the end of the month. Brooks and Lopez will both be free agents, minus contract extensions. And the Grizzlies have already made it clear they do not intend to offer one to Brooks.

Johnson is the lone restricted free agent of the aforementioned, meaning the Nets could match a Rockets offer. Then again, the Rockets have about $60 million in cap space and could use some of it to make a massive offer for Johnson and give the Nets something to think about.

Along with all that, the Rockets reportedly have been weighing trades centered on the No. 4 overall draft pick. (Full post.)

Meanwhile, Harden is said to be seriously weighing whether to return to the Rockets or remain with the 76ers.