Playing Keep or Cut with Each of the Houston Rockets' 2015 NBA Free Agents
The Houston Rockets have a large handful of free agents on the loose this summer and a difficult decision to make with each one.
After a memorable playoff run all the way to the Western Conference Finals, even with two starters absent, the Rockets would ideally keep any relevant piece in place. Of course, it's not entirely up to them, as unrestricted free agents can sign where they please. Still, general manager Daryl Morey can most likely retain whoever he wants, unless he has a secret blockbuster move up his sleeve.
Josh Smith, Corey Brewer and Jason Terry are outright free agents who can assess the market. Patrick Beverley and K.J. McDaniels have qualifying offers that would make them unrestricted free agents, and Kostas Papanikolaou has a team option.
Sportando reports that the Rockets will pick up K-Pap's option of $4.8 million. That money isn't guaranteed unless Papanikolaou is on the roster by October 4, so this move is risk-free for the time being. The Greek rookie had a strong start to the season before fading into obscurity as the Rockets bench improved throughout the year.
Houston has made one choice, but that leaves five more for Morey and his staff this offseason.
Josh Smith
1 of 5
Of all the free agents this summer, Smith may be the most unpredictable.
Smoove was a Detroit Piston before getting cut and signing with the Rockets in December. Despite his shaky history and ill-advised tendencies, he proved to be a key contributor during Houston's postseason run. Perhaps inconsistent at times, he still provided a huge lift with his playmaking abilities and solid defense as a versatile big man.
Sure, there were good times and bad. Hack-a-Josh cost the Rockets a pivotal game or two from the free-throw line, but nothing can surmount the comeback display he put on in Los Angeles.
Overall, Smith is too good of a talent for Houston to let walk this summer, depending on the price.
The Pistons are still paying him plenty next year, so Smith must decide if he's willing to take a pay cut to stay in Houston. The Rockets system allows him to shoot from deep and lob it up to his longtime pal Dwight Howard. More importantly, this core has already proved it can compete for a championship.
The ball is Smith's court. Morey would probably like to bring him back after his successful stint with the Rockets, but it has to be at a reasonable expense.
Decision: Keep at the right price
Corey Brewer
2 of 5
Corey Brewer had been on the Rockets' radar for a while. Not only was he Morey's biggest trade acquisition this past year, but he was also drafted in the first round by Kevin McHale's Minnesota Timberwolves back in 2007.
Brewer is one of the scrappiest players in the league. Also known as The Greyhound, Brewer excels at sniffing out passing lanes and collecting several steals in the process. Once the transition opportunity appears, don't blink because you just might miss him. Brewer is one of the quickest forwards in basketball and is lethal on the fast break.
The Rockets defense complements Brewer's talents quite well. Houston likes to aggressively trap the ball-handler at half court, providing ample opportunities to steal the ball. Despite his modest 28 percent from beyond the arc, Brewer's defensive capabilities and transition prowess made him a dynamic Rocket.
Brewer told Jenny Dial Creech of the Houston Chronicle that he would like to stay in Houston. This is the first time in his career that he has played a prominent role on a contender, and all signs point to a Brewer return.
Decision: Keep
Jason Terry
3 of 5
At 37 years old, Terry is at the tail end of his career. After he had a long season with Houston, age had noticeably caught up to the Jet.
With Patrick Beverley injured, Houston threw Terry into the starting point guard role. He could not keep up with the likes of Stephen Curry and Chris Paul in the playoffs, and even his three-point percentage dipped down to 35 percent, well below his career mark.
However, chances are there will be a different look at point guard next season for Houston. Beverley should hopefully be back healthy, and Morey may even look to the draft or free agency to improve the depth chart at the position.
If that's the case, the Rockets should still try to hold onto Terry. He may not be the starter or even backup, but he can provide veteran leadership from the bench. And if he's well-rested, he can also come in and hit a big shot from deep. For the veteran's minimum at approximately $1.5 million, he's worth it.
Decision: Keep at veteran's minimum
Patrick Beverley
4 of 5
After missing the entire postseason with a broken wrist, Beverley can become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Last season's restricted free agent Chandler Parsons has already started recruiting Beverley to the dark side with the Dallas Mavericks. Parsons signed a hefty contract with Mavs' owner Mark Cuban last summer, and Morey decided not to match. Although that turned out to be the right call for Houston, losing another starter to its biggest rival would not go over well.
It's hard to imagine Morey not bringing back Beverley, even after a mediocre season and with potential upgrades available. But it also seemed near impossible that he would let Parsons go for nothing, yet here we are. You never know.
Hopefully, it doesn't even down to that situation. Beverley had to scrape his way into the NBA from overseas until Morey found him. If he wants to stay, ideally he would not even sign an offer sheet and work out an agreement with the Houston front office.
At the end of the day, Beverley has to do what's best for him and his family. But the Rockets could have used his defense in the playoffs. If he leaves in the offseason, Houston would miss his emotional toughness.
Decision: Keep
K.J. McDaniels
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The K.J. McDaniels situation is tricky. The rookie out of Clemson decided to bet on himself, signing just a one-year deal out of college. He's set to become a restricted free agent this summer, and Houston's only course of action is to wait out the process.
McDaniels hardly played for Houston once it acquired him at the February deadline. He started the year as a Philadelphia 76er and flashed enormous potential. His otherworldly athleticism and lockdown defensive skill set make him a top prospect around the league.
The question is, how much would a team be willing to bet on him?
There's a solid chance some general manager for a team not in win-now mode would be willing to take a chance on the rising sophomore. Morey probably already has the price window in his mind at which he'd keep McDaniels.
He could be a valuable player down the road, but he wouldn't be a big contributor next year—although I said the same thing about Clint Capela and look at him now. McDaniels fits the trend of defensive-minded wings on the Rockets, like Brewer and Trevor Ariza, and could possibly sneak into the rotation. However, it's just not practical to pay him a lot of money to ride the pine again when the team could better spend that salary elsewhere.
Decision: Wait and see
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