As of 5:00 p.m. Central on Friday, June 30, free agency agreements can officially be reached around the NBA. That’s a very impactful date for the Houston Rockets, who have a league-leading figure of approximately $60 million in room beneath the salary cap.
For months, rumors swirled of a potential reunion with former franchise icon James Harden. However, many recent reports suggest that Harden could return to his current team, the Philadelphia 76ers.
However, there’s more optimism surrounding a potential deal with Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez. New Rockets coach Ime Udoka referenced wanting to add “different types of bigs” in his introductory press conference, and Lopez provides two clear strengths — interior defense and 3-point shooting — that Houston’s incumbent center, Alperen Sengun, does not have at the moment.
Other names frequently whispered include Memphis wing Dillon Brooks and Toronto guard Fred VanVleet. Both could bring a needed dose of defense and toughness to Houston, with VanVleet also a capable playmaker who is often less ball-dominant than Harden.
Entering free agency week and the official start of the 2023-24 league year, here’s a roundup of where things stand with the Rockets.