Guards and wings such as Alec Burks, Talen Horton-Tucker, Saddiq Bey, and Eric Gordon are names to watch as the Rockets pursue two-way veteran players in free agency, The Athletic’s Kelly Iko reports.
Houston has several spending tools available to use in the 2024 offseason, including the non-taxpayer mid-level exception — which offers a starting salary of approximately $13 million annually.
Head coach Ime Udoka previously identified shooting and defensive versatility as among the team’s needs this offseason. But according to Iko, it’s important that both of those come in the same package, so that Houston isn’t sacrificing one for the sake of the other.
Shooting is seen as paramount but simply adding sharpshooters who can’t defend is not ideal. So, a player like Doug McDermott wouldn’t be a fit with Udoka.
Two-way veterans like Alec Burks, Gary Harris, Talen Horton-Tucker and Saddiq Bey (among others) are of interest, but Bey’s restricted free agency makes things difficult. Free agent Eric Gordon is “50-50” on a return to Phoenix, according to a source close to the veteran guard, but is also interested in a Rockets reunion.
From the 2023-24 season, key statistics for those players are:
- Alec Burks (Pistons, Knicks): 10.4 points in 18.4 minutes; 37.6% on 3-pointers
- Talen Horton-Tucker (Jazz): 10.1 points, 3.5 assists in 19.8 minutes; 33.0% on 3-pointers
- Saddiq Bey (Hawks): 13.7 points, 6.5 rebounds in 32.7 minutes; 31.6% on 3-pointers
- Eric Gordon (Suns): 11.0 points, 2.0 assists in 27.8 minutes; 37.8% on 3-pointers
2024 NBA free agency agreements can be reached between teams and external players starting on the night of Sunday, June 30.
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