5 Players the Houston Rockets gave up on a bit too early

2. Goran Dragic

Did the Rockets give up on Dragic, or did Dragic give up on the Rockets?

It's hard to say. Dragic left the Rockets in free agency in the summer of 2012. Perhaps that had something to do with the Rockets signing Jeremy Lin and trading for Harden in the same offseason. Suddenly, the backcourt looked a bit too crowded for Dragic.

That's unfortunate. No, Dragic wasn't going to impede Harden's path to superstardom. He could have been an outstanding sixth man during the Harden era. Dragic would go on to make an All-NBA appearance for the Suns, while Lin would fade into obscurity.

Once again, the benefit of hindsight comes into play. Lin was fresh off of his infamous Linsanity run. Still, we can see now that Dragic as a lead reserve behind Harden and Patrick Beverley would have made the Rockets more potent.

3. Robert Horry

Most NBA fans remember Big Shot Bob for his time with the Los Angeles Lakers. They may not realize that Horry had a penchant for hitting big shots - and winning big games - throughout his entire NBA career.

It all started with the Rockets. In some respects, Horry was ahead of his time. He was largely seen as a 3 in the early 1990s, but the Rockets deployed him at the 4 for stretches. Horry was a multipositional defender who spaced the floor - a prototypical combo wing in 2024.

The Rockets traded him anyway. Granted, they received Charles Barkley in return. Unfortunately, the Round Mound of Rebound started to resemble a literal round mound shortly after landing in Space City. Barkley's age-related decline came rapidly as a member of the Rockets.

What could the Rockets have done with Horry? We're not sure. Hakeeem Olajuwon was aging no matter who the Rockets ended. Either way, packaging the franchise hero for an aging star doesn't feel like the best decision in hindsight.