It’s never too early to dream of LeBron
Long before Rockets fans were pouring out of the arena en masse as their team crumbled before their eyes in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals, the conversation was taking place.
Inside Toyota Center Club West at halftime Monday night, the chatter that has been heating up for weeks was at full force.
The Rockets held an 11-point lead. It looked like James Harden, the bearded face of the franchise and soon-to-be MVP, would lead the team into its first NBA Finals appearance in 23 years.
Still, Rockets fans wanted more.
“Just think how good we are going to be when we have LeBron!” one hollered enthusiastically amid a group huddled around a bar table.
Houston Rocket LeBron James. It does have a nice ring to it. James, who will play in his eighth consecutive Finals starting Thursday night when his Cavaliers face the Warriors — who mounted a comeback to beat the Rockets on Monday — has another “Decision” to make this summer. (Hopefully, a television special won’t be involved this time.)
Where the King will continue his reign as the NBA’s all-timegreatest active player is up in the air. The Rockets are in the run-
ning, sure. But so are a lot of other teams.
Two things are certain as free agency heats up this summer:
1) When Daryl Morey is your general manager, you are always in the running for the best players.
2) If James doesn’t make his way to the Bayou City, the Rockets will still be a championship contender.
Under Morey, the Rockets have routinely been a key player in offseason moves. He’s fearless when going after the best of the best.
In some cases, it has worked out.
The trade for Harden ended up being a brilliant move and set the Rockets up with the kind of player they can continue to build around for at least the next few years.
Morey then acquired Dwight Howard — a move that, while it didn’t pan out in the end, was effective. Howard was a key piece in the Rockets’ run to the Western Conference finals in 2015.
Morey was twice in the running for Carmelo Anthony.
And, of course, he successfully traded for Chris Paul, which propelled the Rockets to championship-contender status this season (along with a few key role players like P.J. Tucker).
A lot to sell new faces
The Rockets are very attractive. Harden is going to be named the league’s MVP in a few weeks. The team is coming off a stellar 65-win season under Mike D’Antoni, who has created an identity the team has craved.
The end was disappointing, encapsulated in a horrific shooting performance (7-of-44 from the 3-point line with a stretch of 27 straight missed 3s). But the end of any season that doesn’t come with a championship trophy is disappointing.
Players — especially those chasing rings — can look at the Rockets and see hope.
But Houston isn’t the only city that could draw James’ attention. He could stay in Cleveland to finish out his illustrious career. TheLos Angeles Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers are among teams constantly rumored to be front-runners. He may end up somewhere else.
Whichever team gets him is going to be good. Really good.
If this year’s playoffs have proved anything, it’s that the team that boasts James can never be counted out, regardless of regular-season records and an opponent’s home-court advantage.
If the Rockets aren’t that team, they are still going to be one of the top clubs in the league.
The season ended with Paul on the bench with a hamstring injury. Had he played in Game 7, the outcome might have been different, and it might be the Rockets facing James and Cleveland this week instead of the world getting Cavs vs. Warriors, Part 4.
The Rockets were a top-tier team this season and retaining their core together will keep them that way.
Keeping Capela a no-brainer
Harden isn’t going anywhere. Paul, Trevor Ariza, Luc Mbah a Moute and Gerald Green are unrestricted free agents.
Clint Capela is a restricted free agent.
Capela should be a top priority. His improvement has been thrilling to watch, and he’s only going to get better. Paul also proved to be a key piece in getting the Rockets over the hump. Ariza and Mbah a Moute helped bolster a much-improved defense.
To get James, the Rockets can’t keep everyone who made them so special this season. There are a lot of moving parts, which is what will make this offseason as dramatic as ever.
But Morey won’t shy away from making any moves he thinks will improve the team.
Maybe he persuades King James to join the ranks.
Maybe he makes a few trades, signs a few free agents, moves some things around.
The most unlikely scenario is that he will do nothing. And even if he did, the Rockets would still be one of the NBA’s top two or three teams.
There aren’t any other players like LeBron James. If he ends up in Houston, that would be something special.
Let the speculation begin. Let the rumors swirl. Let the pictures of James in a No. 23 Rockets jersey circulate.
The conversation has started. The offseason is here.
And just like they were during the season, the Rockets are a team to watch.