I think the writing's on the wall..Reed will get there, but we're going to add another guard

Chris Paul is the best fit. We need him to teach Amen and Reed.

 

I think Schroder level is a bit unrealistic - he makes $14m.

Who are the Rockets sending out to match that salary?

They aren't going to be sending any of the following - Durant, Sengun, FVV, Adams, Jabari, Reed or Amen and probably not DFS.

That leaves Clint at $6.7m and Tari who may be on the no go list anyway at $5.675m and everyone else is on a minimum and they don't combine for enough to get the job done - and they would have a roster spot to fill because they'd be below the mandatory 14 and not enough money to do that.

TLDNR - I think they are limited toa $10m or less deal.

 

Perhaps….

Just more of an example of the type of player we can go for, a vet who can score, playmake, and defend.

 

Here's a list of all guards under contract and their cap hits.

2025 Guard Cap Hit Rankings

 

All y'all saying CP3: Have you watched him play this season / looked at his numbers? He wasn't able to stay in front of anyone defensively and he was missing everything. He looks like he legitimately has nothing left in the tank as a player, except I guess his passing, but even that is at a career low (per game) or second-lowest of his career (per possession).

Here are some other guys who can run an offense that would make more sense:

• Dennis Schroder
• Tre Jones
• Jose Alvarado
• Kris Dunn
• Scotty Pippen Jr (currently recovering from toe surgery, should be back in January/before the trade deadline)
• TJ McConnell

No point in bringing in Chris just to sit next to Uncle Jeff at the end of the bench.

 

But could he come hurt people's feelings by telling them they need to play harder?

 

You're right about CP3, he's totally washed. IMO the hard question is who do you bring in as a rental that:

- fits salary-wise under the first apron constraints
- doesn't cost a FRP for a rental
- complements rather than totally substitutes Amen + Reed. For a variety of reasons, the FO isn't going to bring in someone that is perceived a vote of no confidence in Amen + Reed.
- is someone the FO thinks is better than Aaron Holiday (i.e., the player has to have good advanced impact metrics, RAPM etc.)

IMO Schroder makes too much money, and is under contract for too long. Jones, McConnell, and Alvarado are too substitutive of Reed. Dunn is just Okogie+.

There's not much out there that fits. Brogdon would have been ideal if he hadn't retired. McCollum or Lonzo on the buyout market might be the best bet.

 

I cautiously think Pippen Jr might fit those requirements, except he probably does cost an FRP, but on the other hand he is not just a rental, he's locked up through 2028 on minimum money.

That would of course be contingent on how he comes back from surgery, but given it was just a toe thing, I'm not too concerned. His advanced metrics were good last season, he is a good defensive player, and he was knocking down open threes and averaging nearly 10 assists per 100 possessions. (Reed is at 6.6, Amen is at 7.0). He's basically a table-setter + 3nD type of guy, which I think is what we're looking for with the loss of FVV.

I can see a future backcourt of Reed/Scotty/Amen working out long-term, each of them brings things that are a little bit different to the table.

 

This is incredibly contingent on whether FVV will agree to a trade. If the Rockets gave him that PO without some kind of understanding that he will waive his NTC if needed, then that may end up being a move derailing this entire season. Without FVV the Rockets ability to make deadline moves is severely restricted. OTOH, if they do know he's willing to not use his NTC, there are quite a few options out there that that can work.

 

I really like SPJ as a player in a vacuum, but IMO he's definitely substitutive of Reed. I know SPJ is a pesky guard defender, but he's two inches shorter than Reed, weights 180 lbs, and has a 7'11 standing reach.

If we spent assets to acquire SPJ, a roughly similar age range, small guard, under contract for years -- we'd be announcing to the league (and to Reed) that we don't see Reed as a future "guy", killing his trade value etc.

Somebody less substitutive would allow for continued development without immediately inviting the "Rockets chose SPJ over Reed" dynamic. Or if they truly liked a SPJ more than Reed, you gotta move Reed first (which I don't think they should do).

Also, after this season, I'm pretty sure FVV is who Stone wants filling the FVV role.