After a stellar 2016-17 campaign that ultimately ended in disappointment, the Houston Rockets have already created shockwaves throughout the NBA this offseason. They swung a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers that landed them superstar point guard Chris Paul to pair with James Harden in an explosive backcourt duo, but the Rockets aren’t done yet.
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, GM Daryl Morey and the Rockets front office have been exploring a trade that would send Paul George to Houston. Now after acquiring Chris Paul, the Rockets will continue to push for a deal with a potential big 3 of Harden, Paul, and Paul George in mind as the end goal, Windhorst said on Sportscenter:
Obviously the ultimate goal Houston has in mind is bulding a roster capable of competing with the uber-talented Golden State Warriors. With James Harden and Chris Paul already established as their stellar guard combo, the Rockets could be one piece away from being legitimate title contenders.
That piece could be Paul George. The two-way star’s departure from Indiana remains a foregone conclusion, whether it be this off-season or the next. Houston already coughed up four valuable assets in their deal with the Clippers, so it remains to be seen if they could put together the requisite package to acquire a player of George’s magnitude.
If a deal were to be finalized, it would be a huge risk for the Rockets as George has already made it clear he plans to join the Los Angeles Lakers once he hits free agency next summer.
How much would the Rockets be willing to give up for a potential one-year rental? That questions remains to be seen but if Houston does land PG, their big 3 becomes as formidable as any other the league has to offer.
