6 players the Rockets should target from the Chinese league

As the Houston Rockets have faced competition on the buyout market, let’s take a look at six players they could target overseas.

When the Houston Rockets traded away Clint Capela, it was obvious they needed another big to replace him. The Rockets do have Isaiah Hartenstein and Tyson Chandler as bench options, but Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni hasn’t turned to either player for significant minutes.

This has led many to believe that the Rockets will turn to the buyout market to land another big man, as there are a number of options. It was also expected that the Rockets would possibly turn to the buyout market for more bench depth, as the Rockets run fairly thin when it comes to their rotations.

Although the buyout market is the most conventional option for addressing such needs, there’s also another avenue the Rockets can turn to: the Chinese Basketball Association.

As basketball has expanded over the years, it’s now become common to find former NBA players in the Chinese Basketball Association, which is run by former Houston Rockets great Yao Ming. Oftentimes players opt to play overseas, not because they no longer have the ability to play at the NBA level, but because they can potentially earn a much larger payday through international play than in the NBA.

Players have simply discovered the ability to make millions while playing in a five-month season, which means they can potentially make even more by landing on an NBA team after the CBA season is over.

We’ve seen players such as Wilson Chandler, JR Smith, Lance Stephenson, Shabazz Muhammad, and former Houston Rockets players Ty Lawson and Donatas Motiejunas play in China over the years, and it’s becoming more common year after year. Perhaps the best example of a former NBA superstar continuing his career in China is Stephon Marbury, who has even had a statue built overseas.

With several quality players to choose from in China, let’s take a look at six former NBA players the Houston Rockets could target.

Next: No. 6