5 biggest questions for Chris Paul and the Rockets
By Dre Elder
2. Can the Rockets land Paul George or Carmelo Anthony?
Why stop at Chris Paul? Well, the Rockets don’t intend to. Multiple reports indicate their desire to trade for Paul George. The problem is seemingly everyone and their mama is trying to get George. And now Houston has less tradable assets than they did 36 hours ago. The Boston Celtics are also believed to be after George and possess an embarrassment of valuable assets. Then, there’s George’s reported desire to play for his hometown Los Angeles Lakers. So how does Daryl Morey plan to entice the Indiana Pacers?
The salaries match up for Houston to offer Ryan Anderson straight up for Paul George. But this isn’t your rigged franchise mode in NBA 2K17, so no one is accepting that deal. The Pacers will likely covet promising young players and/or multiple draft picks. The Rockets are now short on both. Here’s a potential trade scenario created using ESPN’s NBA Trade Machine.
Houston will have to include multiple future first-round picks in addition to Anderson and Trevor Ariza in any offer to Indiana. When you consider Boston has more favorable draft picks and better young talent to offer, Houston is on the outside looking in for a George trade.
The Rockets’ best chance to add another star may lie with Carmelo Anthony. Anthony is reportedly trying to secure a buyout from the Knicks. But if he’s successful, Houston will have to compete with the Cleveland Cavaliers for Anthony’s services. There is no clear path for the Rockets to snag Paul George or Carmelo Anthony as neither are free agents.