2018-19 Houston Rockets

2017-18: (1st in the West, lost in the conference finals)
Draft picks: 46
Signed for next season ($80.4m): James Harden, Ryan Anderson, Eric Gordon, PJ Tucker, Nene Hilario, Chinanu Onuaku, Zhou Qi

This summer's free agents: Chris Paul, Trevor Ariza, Tarik Black, Clint Capela, Luc Mbah a Moute, Gerald Green, Joe Johnson, Aaron Jackson, RJ Hunter, Markel Brown
Okay, the Rockets gotta lotta moves to make this summer. Paul, Ariza, Capela were big pieces of this past season when they led the West in the regular season and bringing them back (or replacing them) are the Rockets' main priorities. Of course, Mbah a Moute and Green were good contributors, too. I don't expect Black, Johnson or Jackson to be back next year. Hunter and Brown are 2-way contracts.

#46 is not likely to make an impact for the Rockets, wouldn't be surprised to see them swap it for a future 2nd rounder. But Malik Newman (Kansas) might still be there. Hey, I watched Newman as a Team USA youth player a few years back and was mightily impressed, he kinda botched his college days but don't be surprised if he's actually a worthwhile NBA player. That said, a rookie PG is probably not getting the Rockets too excited. Probably more likely #46 ends up in a trade package.

The Rockets will surely bring back Chris Paul and Clint Capela (after pretending like they've got a shot with Lebron, of which I think they have none), but I reckon they let Ariza and Mbah a Moute move on and I can't see them bringing back Green or Johnson (unless they get a deep discount on one or the other). I'm sure they'd love to move on from Ryan Anderson (why does Anderson make so much more than Eric Gordon? And why do both make so much more than Ariza?) but I don't see anyone out there clamoring to get in on that deal (well, Atlanta is in the mode of preferring draft picks to wins, is a 2019 1st rounder enough for the Hawks to pick up that contract?). James Harden is one of the most efficient players in the game but as the Cavs are showing (again) one great player is not enough to win in the NBA. I'm still dubious that Chris Paul is the right fit for Harden, but Paul is a great player so unless a sign/trade is in the works, I think they've got to bring him back. That said, bringing Paul back doesn't get them past the Warriors, so who knows? Capela, too, become a stable part of their offensive attack, seems like they have to bring him back, but, man, someone out there is going to offer him a ton of money. Gonna be a long weird summer for the Rockets, I think.