Houston Rockets: 9 Veteran free agent targets with ties to James Harden

The Houston Rockets appear dead-set on significantly improving their roster heading into the 2023-24 NBA season. The primary way the Rockets are looking to make it happen is through free agency. Even though they have another top 5 pick heading into the 2023 NBA Draft, there has been significant momentum toward the Rockets making a big splash in free agency.

And the one big name that the Rockets will be targeting this summer is James Harden. According to recent reports, a Harden-to-Houston reunion is pretty much a foregone conclusion. Short of something unexpected happening, Harden will likely make his return to Houston this offseason.

The noise surrounding Harden to the Rockets is so loud that even Jalen Green had to give voice to that possibility. Assuming that this is going to happen, the Rockets would likely also be looking for other veteran pieces to help set and settle the culture in Houston. We explore nine veteran free agents that could emerge as targets for the Rockets who have ties to Harden.

Veteran FA targets for Houston Rockets: Georges Niang

Playing with James Harden for the past two seasons in Philadelphia, perhaps Georges Niang is a veteran free agent that makes the move to Houston as well. The 29-year-old forward has shot at least 40 percent from 3-point range in each of his last five seasons.

He could come in, play a defined role as a shooter off the bench, and offer some depth to the team's frontcourt - all while being a calming veteran influence in the locker room. He may not be a name that gets the fanbase excited, but he's certainly a player that could be useful for such a young team like the Rockets.