9 Free Agents that could follow Ime Udoka to the Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets have effectively been in the midst of a rebuild for three years. It started with the team blowing up their roster in 2020, most notably when they traded James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets. But heading into the 2023 NBA offseason, it's become quite clear that the Rockets are tired of losing.
From all indications, the Rockets are a team entering the offseason with the hope of tangibly improving the roster to possibly make a significant move up the Western Conference standings next season. Coming off a 22-win season, the road to competing for a playoff spot in the West won't be easy. Looking at the standings this season, you'd imagine the Rockets would need a 20-win increase in order to be within shouting distance of the Play-In Tournament.
While that may seem unlikely, making a big move or two during the offseason (especially in free agency) could go a long way in bringing that unlikely scenario to fruition. The Rockets may be considered one of the worst teams in the league right now, but with new head coach Ime Udoka now at the helm, it's clear that the path to changing that narrative around the Rockets begins now.
If the Rockets do want to make a big splash in free agency, there will be potential options. And even a few that would make even more sense after the hiring of Udoka. Ahead of the official start of the offseason, we explore nine free agents with a previous connection to Udoka that the team could end up targeting (and perhaps prioritizing) in free agency.