4 Players we wish the Rockets had acquired during the Harden era

There's no sense in getting hung up on the past. There's no sense in telling that to a Houston Rockets fan, either.

We've suffered some heartbreak. Most recently, the 2017-18 Rockets crushed our spirits. It's nobody's fault - Chris Paul did not mean to tear his hamstring.

Still, it's easy to make the case that the Rockets were the best team in the NBA that year. They had a real chance of winning the NBA title. More broadly, the Rockets were in the title picture throughout much of James Harden's tenure with the team.

Could they have bolstered those odds? Sure. Several players could have helped the Rockets during that time. Our aim with this article is to identify them.

Just don't take it too seriously. We're not looking at circumstances here. Some of these players likely couldn't have been acquired from a practical perspective. That's immaterial to us - we're just fantasizing.

Here are four players we wish had joined the Rockets at some point during the James Harden era.

4. Joe Harris

Those 2017-18 Rockets had a distinct identity. They switched everything on defense. On the offensive end, they lived - and sometimes died - by the three.

Interestingly, they weren't necessarily lined up with sharpshooters. The most accurate shooter in their regular rotation was Ryan Anderson. He knocked down 38.6% of his 5.1 three-pointers per game. Partly, that owes to their defensive identity. The Rockets wanted to corner the market on 3-and-D wings, and they're a market scarcity.

Still, another sharpshooter would not have hurt. Why not Harris? During that same season, he hit 41.9% of his 4.6 triples per game. That accuracy may have dropped on a Rockets team that shot a higher volume of threes, but Harris' gravity would still have done wonders for their offensive system.

Defensively, it would have been a different story. Harris wouldn't have fit their identity - Anderson's similar struggles kept him out of the playoff rotation. Still, adding another knockdown shooter would have given this Rockets squad an embarrassment of riches.

3. Dewayne Dedmon

Spoiler: You won't find any 3-and-D wings on this list. The Rockets had enough of them. Adding a Jae Crowder would only have crowded an already full rotation.

By contrast, a stretch big man could have diversified their looks. The Rockets ran Death Lineups featuring P.J. Tucker at the 5, and those lineups were effective. Otherwise, Clint Capela started at the 5 and Nene was his backup during their best years.

Unfortunately, Houston didn't properly replace Nene once he aged out of his effectiveness. Dedmon would have been an intriguing choice. In 2018-19, he shot 38.2% from long range. Unlike Tucker, Dedmon was also a stalwart rim protector.

We're not suggesting that the Rockets should have abandoned Tucker-at-the-5 lineups. Their ability to switch made them devastating for short bursts. Still, a more conventional defensive big like Dedmon who spaced the floor could have extended their title window.

2. Al Horford

We're moving on to more ambitious targets. Harris and Dedmon are role players, while Horford was a borderline star during the Harden era.

Remember our disclaimer - we're doing this for fun. Now, picture Al Horford manning the middle alongside Harden and Paul.

Are you having fun yet?

In his prime (if it's even over yet), Horford was one of the most well-rounded players in NBA history. He spaced the floor. He could switch defensively. Horford's passing acumen would have diversified a pick-and-roll centric attack that had arguably grown stale after 2017-18.

Horford wouldn't be coming to replace Nene - he'd be coming to replace Capela. As useful as Capela was at the time, we think Horford's versatility would have kept the Rockets in contention.

1. Jimmy Butler

Throw the stats out. Forget about Houston's philosophies. This is about aggregating pure star power.

It almost happened. When the Bulls were looking to move Butler, the Rockets were frequently cited as a destination. In the end, they preferred a player-focused package from the Timberwolves over a pick-heavy return from Houston.

It's a shame. Sure, Butler's mid-range mastery would have busted up the Rockets' "3s and layups" ethos. That could have been a good thing. Butler would have made the Rockets harder to guard alongside Harden and Paul. The Rockets would be attacking opponents from all angles.

If you've been living under a rock, the Rockets have been linked to Butler recently. We've been clear - we don't want him. That said, we would have loved to have added him six years ago. Oh well -

No sense in getting caught up in the past, right?