4 Free agents the Houston Rockets are glad they didn't sign last summer

3. Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers

Last summer, Reaves was on the tip of a lot of tongues. Plenty of observers felt that he was on a clear path to stardom.

In 2023-24, that didn't appear to be the case. That's not to say that Reaves underperformed. His 15.9 points per game with a 63.3 TS% are nothing to sneeze at.

Moreover, at roughly $12 million a year, Reaves is compensated fairly. So, you might be asking yourself - why is he on this list at all?

Well, it certainly seemed like Reaves took a discount to play with the Lakers. The Rockets would likely have had to offer him something more substantial to reel him in. It's also unlikely that Jalen Green has his insane March with Reaves on the roster - he would have already usurped him as a starter. In time, prioritizing Reaves over Green could have lowered the Rockets' ceiling.

2. Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers

In fairness, the Blazers probably wish they hadn't signed Grant this summer.

That's not a knock on Grant. He's an excellent player. With that said, he's not worth roughly $30 million a year unless you're paying him to compliment Damian Lillard.

That's what the Blazers thought they were doing when they extended Grant. Now, his deal is a burden on their books. At the moment, this rebuilding team is guard-heavy, but if the Blazers draft a young wing in the lottery this summer, they'll have some rotational complications as well.

Feel free to lament Dillon Brooks' contract. We've done the same. Still, Grant is making roughly $10 million more per season, and in all likelihood, the young Rockets would want him in the same 3-and-D role.