Rockets former star may be buyout answer to making them title contenders

The Houston Rockets don't know if they have their point guard of the future.

It could be Amen Thompson. He was conceived as a point guard leading up to the draft. So far, his poor jumper and shaky handle have limited his ability to control the offense. Rockets fans shouldn't be overly concerned - Thompson is a stud. He'll thrive as a wing if he doesn't get the keys to the offense, but it's unclear whether he'll fill this hole.

Reed Sheppard doesn't share that positional ambiguity. The questions about him pertain to his ability to be a starting-caliber player. Nobody should be ruling a rookie out - but nobody should be banking on Sheppard either.

Then, there's Fred VanVleet. He's the team's point guard of the present. He may be the point guard of the future if we're referring to the next two or three years. For now, he's the only credible point guard on the roster - Aaron Holiday is closer to a combo guard. VanVleet could use some help running the offense:

Could the Rockets turn to a former franchise star to provide that help?

Ideal Rockets target could shake loose

Victor Wembanyama's deep vein thrombosis is devasting. It doesn't matter which team you pull for. If you love basketball or even humanity, you're pulling for him to recover as quickly as possible.

There will be fallout from his injury. This may be a lost season for the Spurs.

(Side note: if the Spurs get Cooper Flagg, it is entirely acceptable to be toxic about that as a Rockets fan).

If it is, could Chris Paul shake loose on the buyout market?

Rockets should aggressively pursue former star if he's available

If Paul is available, the Rockets need to make overtures. They need to do whatever they can to get Paul back in Rockets red.

In 2024-25, Paul is averaging 8.2 assists and just 1.5 turnovers per game. He remains the Point God. Paul's ball security fits perfectly into the Rockets' identity. Winning the possession battle is critical for this team, and Paul, like VanVleet, doesn't like to concede possessions.

Otherwise, Paul has a Box Plus/Minus (BPM) of 1.3. That's a world away from the 11.0 he posted in 2008-09 - Paul is one of the best players of his generation, but he's 39 - but it's a great mark for a reserve floor general.

So, he's an optimal target for the Rockets. Is he realistic?

Rockets would need to mend a burned bridge

That's where this gets difficult.

Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta infamously called Paul's contract the worst in the NBA. He jettisoned him to the Thunder in exchange for Russell Westbrook and some draft capital. While we're using superlatives, it was (one of) the worst trades in Rockets history.

Does Paul hold a grudge? Could he be willing to overlook the past to come join a team that might win a playoff series this year? It may depend on how robust his market is. All the Rockets can do is make the most compelling case possible to bring him on board. This team may not have their point guard of the future:

But they need a backup point guard now.