The NBA free agency period begins shortly after the NBA Finals, with teams being able to talk to players on June 30 at 6 p.m. ET. Some of the main names for this free agency class include DeMar DeRozan and Pascal Siakam. With the Rockets specifically, there are some potential targets that they could look to add this off-season. The Rockets shot 35.2% from beyond the arc, which ranked them as the twenty-third best shooting team in the NBA. This was an increase from a league worst 32.7% last season, but there is still room for improvement. Names such as Buddy Hield and Alec Burks could add shooting improvement that the Rockets need if they want to be considered contenders across the association.

Buddy Hield: The Rockets Best Target

While I was looking at free agents from this class, Buddy Hield’s name spoke to me the most. Not only is he a knockdown shooter from three, but he also provides veteran leadership that could improve the culture the Rockets built last season. Hield’s value is also at an all time low, as he only averaged 5.5 points per game in the playoffs due to reduced minutes. Hield’s 38.6% shot from beyond the arc would allow the Rockets to create an identity of a shooting team. The Rockets currently don’t have any reliable marksman, as they are mainly full of streaky shooters like Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks, but with the addition of a consistent shooter like Hield, the Rockets could have a guy they could rely on to make shots day in and day out. Last season, 91.8% of Hield’s made three pointers were off of assists from other players such as Tyrese Maxey and Tyrese Haliburton. With the Rockets current pick and role game with Fred VanVleet and Alperen Sengun, Hield could be a perfect threat for the Rockets in a drive and kick scenario. Hield would also be a very solid complementary piece to the Rockets young core, as he wouldn’t take away any opportunities from the young guys in games. Overall, Hield would improve the Rockets mainly in shooting and be a solid veteran that the Rockets could learn from.

Alec Burks: The Second Option

Much like Buddy Hield, Alec Burks would be a positive addition to the Rockets shooting, as he shot 37.6% from deep last season. Burks also had 83.3% of his three pointers assisted, which is a little lower than Hield. The reason why I put Burks as the second option is that he is more of a scorer than a pure shooter like Hield. This means that he could possibly take away from the development of the younger guys scoring, especially Cam Whitmore and Jalen Green. Burks has other positives he could bring along with him as well however. He brings with him lots of playoff experience with the Knicks, Jazz, and 76ers, which is key for the Rockets success if they do end up making it to the postseason next year. Burks could also help relive some of the ball handling duties that VanVleet currently has to endure, and he could get VanVleet rest for late game situations. The addition of Burks would improve the scoring off the bench for the Rockets and possibly increase the playmaking ability of the Rockets team.

Fun but Not Realistic Idea

With this segment of the article, I will mainly be talking about the main headlines of this free agency class. For example, Pascal Siakam would be an interesting name for the Rockets to have talks with. Although Siakam would not be a great fit considering the development of Jabari Smith Jr., he could allow for a win now mindset that the Rockets could build upon with trades. If the Rockets do somehow end up with Donovan Mitchell at the end of this free agency period, then Siakam could be potentially a solid fit to go along with VanVleet and Mitchell. The odds of this happening, however, are near zero because the Rockets are more focused on developing home grown talent, as the Golden States Warriors has done in the past.

Trade Talks

With the Rockets having the third overall pick in the NBA Draft, there have been rumors about potential trades that the Rockets could make. The Rockets have expressed interest in Brooklyn Nets small forward Mikal Bridges, as he would bring all the positives that the Rockets need to get to the next level. The 3 and D aspect that Bridges brings with him along with his new found scoring ability he has discovered with the Nets could allow the Rockets to add on to their young core while also competing for the Playoffs right now.

Bridges this season averaged 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game with shooting splits of 43.6/37.2/81.4. The versatility of Bridges could give the Rockets another guy who can guard any position on the court, such as forward Jabari Smith Jr. This would allow the Rockets to get that defensive culture they’ve always wanted while also getting the offensive help they need to win.