What Should Houston Rockets Do Next After the 2015 NBA Draft?
With the NBA draft in the books and free agency beginning on July 1, the Houston Rockets need a plan.
The Rockets had two critically acclaimed picks on draft night. First, general manager Daryl Morey took Sam Dekker out of Wisconsin with the No. 18 overall pick. Dekker is a solid forward with good shooting range and can attack the basket. In the second round, Houston selected athletic power forward Montrezl Harrell out of Louisville.
Both were very good picks.
However, Rockets fans can't help but notice something missing: a point guard.
So what's next for the Rockets?
Find a Point Guard
Houston lacked a viable point guard in the playoffs and much of the regular season last year. Patrick Beverley had a mediocre season before breaking his wrist and missing the postseason. That left two 37-year-olds at the helm—Jason Terry and Pablo Prigioni—which was less than ideal.
This summer, it's possible that the Rockets could lose all three of these guys. Beverley is a restricted free agent, and the other two could be contemplating retirement. So, it seemed like a safe assumption that Houston would draft a young point guard.
It didn't.
Therefore, priority No. 1 for the Rockets this offseason is to find a point guard in free agency. The problem is, pickings are slim.
The top few available point guards are mostly restricted. Guys like Brandon Knight and Reggie Jackson are most likely staying put. Goran Dragic is unrestricted but has no intention of returning to Houston.
Who does that leave? The next best couple of players are a huge drop-off from the top tier. Rajon Rondo or Jeremy Lin? No thanks.
With a weak free-agent class and the draft already over, the Rockets must bring back Beverley. Whatever shortcomings he may have, his defense and mental toughness make him one of the best available options.
As a restricted free agent, he can sign an offer sheet with whomever he chooses, which would leave Houston three days to match the contract or let him walk—just like Chandler Parsons last summer. Morey needs to talk with Beverley and get on the same page to bring him back to Houston.
Also, there have been some rumblings about Sergio Llull possibly coming over from Europe to join the Rockets, according to Marca's Jose Luiz Martinez (h/t FanSided's Brian Patterson). Llull and Real Madrid just won the Euroleague championship, which may mean he's ready to take the next step to the NBA.
The contract and buyout details are financially complex, but Morey has solved much harder problems, so we can't rule out this possibility just yet. Llull is an experienced combo guard who could contribute right away.
Bring (Pretty Much) Everyone Back
Knowing Morey, there have also been some rumors involving the Rockets and the cream of the crop. Before the draft, Houston made its first-rounder and Terrence Jones available, according to ESPN's Marc Stein, who had reported earlier the Rockets would attempt to get into the LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Love conversations.
Morey is always trying to upgrade and bring in a third star, but this time it seems a little far-fetched. Houston does not have the cap-space flexibility it has had in the past. Landing one of these premier players would deplete all of Morey's resources, including Jones and most likely Trevor Ariza.
Houston should not give up Ariza.
Replacing Parsons with Ariza this year helped the Rockets transition from a good team to a legitimate contender. Houston completely transformed into one of the better defensive squads in the league; the Rockets ranked sixth in defensive efficiency in ESPN's Hollinger stats.
Ariza's three-and-D style of play and championship pedigree are crucial to the organization, and he needs to stay.
Houston had a great run. It made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals, down two starters, before running out of gas against a historically great Golden State Warriors team. Not much needs to change.
Bring back Josh Smith. Bring back Corey Brewer. With a healthy Donatas Motiejunas, Patrick Beverley and Dwight Howard, plus a fully acclimated Smith and Brewer and an upgrade at backup point guard, this team can win it all. After all, Morey has until the February 2016 trade deadline if he decides he needs to make a big move.
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