Houston Rockets: 5 offseason moves to make

Sign JaVale McGee

JaVale McGee may be a head case that has underperformed for years, but he is also a defensive force in the paint.

Yes I am talking about the same player who makes boneheaded plays so often that he was once given his own edition of “Shaqtin’ a Fool” on TNT’s Inside the NBA.

So why would the Houston Rockets want this guy?

Mainly because he is a cheap fill at backup center, and the Rockets do not exactly have a ton of cap space to play with. There are several other big men that I like better than McGee on the free agent market, but none of them have his tremendous blocking ability, nor will they come at a discount like he will.

If the Rockets sign him they’ll likely have enough cap space to make another solid acquisition, which would likely mean upgrading at backup point guard. Having enough room to fill another major need for the team is quite possibly the biggest allure of signing JaVale McGee. Every other move on this list would not allow the cap space to fulfill multiple needs.

With Rajon Rondo self-imploding during the playoffs to cap off a subpar stint with the Dallas Mavericks, it is clear that there is not a top-tier point guard available this offseason. Goran Dragic is on the market, but it will come at a high cost to lure him away from the Miami Heat, and one that the versatile guard is not worth.

Instead, the Rockets could take their pick from a wide variety of young, promising players, or one of many seasoned veterans to provide depth at point guard for a smaller price.

While it may not be the most popular move, signing two affordable players that fill a void could be just what Houston needs. After all, their lack of depth at both positions is what ultimately ended the Rockets’ season.

Next: Sign Tyson Chandler