[The Ringer] The Five Best (and Worst) Offseasons So Far

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1. Houston Rockets
Summer in a Nutshell: Bravo, Daryl Morey.
Summer League Player to Watch: Zhou Qi

Houston is having an offseason to remember. The Rockets successfully manipulated the salary cap to acquire Chris Paul before free agency, the first of their series of moves that’ll help close the gap on the Warriors. In a pick-and-roll heavy offense, there should be plenty of ball to go around for both Paul and James Harden. Paul will likely take the primary point guard reins, since Harden proved in Oklahoma City how effective he can be slashing off the ball and spotting up.

The Paul acquisition was later complemented by the re-signing of Nene and the signing of P.J. Tucker, two smart, hard-nosed defenders; the latter’s ability to cover multiple positions will be useful in a possible playoff series against the Warriors. Also, don’t underestimate Chinese center Zhou Qi as a rookie contributor; while leading his team to a CBA championship, Zhou won Defensive Player of the Year, extended his shooting range, and improved his body. Zhou could end up an important player on the Rockets sooner than you’d imagine.

Rumors are swirling that Carmelo Anthony could be headed to Houston. If Melo is acquired, expect his role to change and his efficiency to skyrocket, much like it does in international competition when he’s playing for Team USA. Anthony would give Houston a third high-level scoring presence who can either heat up and score in bunches or simply space the floor as a knockdown, spot-up shooter, (41.8 percent on catch-and-shoot 3s last season). The Rockets haven’t forgotten about the back end of their roster, either. They signed two of the top undrafted free agents in forward L.J. Peak and big Cameron Oliver, and took a flyer on a raw, but talented point guard in George De Paula.

The Rockets are loaded. They’re deep. They’re built to sustain success for many years after extending Harden through the 2023 season. They’re still a notch below the Warriors, but they’re closer now than they were just a few months ago. Adding Melo at a reasonable price would only make a spectacular offseason even better.