Rockets’ biggest roster flaw remains untouched after free agency misses

If you asked most Rockets fans what this team's biggest weakness was last season, most would have said the same thing: shooting. Despite that, several of the top shooting specialists on the free-agent market have already signed elsewhere, and the Rockets were never seriously connected to any of them.

Shooting specialists are signing elsewhere

Kevin Huerter re-signed with the Detroit Pistons, Luke Kennard signed with the Phoenix Suns, and Tim Hardaway Jr. signed with the Miami Heat. Those were three budget targets who would have made sense in Houston, but they are now off the table.

All three players have flaws. Huerter has not been the same level of shooter over the past few seasons as he was earlier in his career, and Kennard and Hardaway both come with defensive concerns. However, almost every budget free agent is going to come with some kind of limitation.

The Rockets need more shooting to diversify an offense that too often became predictable last season. Huerter, Kennard, and Hardaway all would have helped in that regard. None of them would have fixed Houston’s offense on their own, but each one would have made the Rockets more difficult to defend and given them more options off the bench.

Houston has to find other options

Houston has to hope it can still find shooting elsewhere. Khris Middleton could be an intriguing veteran option if the price is reasonable, while players such as Quentin Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili would also make sense if they remain available.

It is unclear how much Houston is willing to offer any player before re-signing Tari Eason, but even if the Rockets keep Eason, their shooting concerns are very real.

A healthy Fred VanVleet will help. VanVleet is a career 37.1 percent shooter from three, and he is capable of taking and making difficult shots. Still, Houston’s offseason plan should not revolve around a 32-year-old guard coming off a major injury saving the offense.

This team needs to add more shooting. Huerter, Kennard, and Hardaway were three obvious options, and Houston missed out on all of them. This front office needs to start acting with urgency before it is too late to sign an impact free agent.

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