Five Players The Houston Rockets Should Target In Free Agency
By Mario Hicks
Apr 11, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) shoots a free throw against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre. The Knicks beat the Raptors 108-100. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
1. Carmelo Anthony: 27.4 ppg, 3.1 apg, 8.1 rpg
(Technically not a FA but can basically decide which team to play for next season)
Carmelo Anthony is the third star that Houston fans long for. His scoring ability is jaw dropping. He can post you up. He can spin pass you. He can shoot over you. He can pull up from three point land and score on you. Melo can do it all on the offensive end.
Melo is a star who is dying to win; Anthony was part of a disappointing Knick team last year and it was certainly not his fault. He brought energy and effort to the Knicks every night, no matter how many games out of the playoff race they were. Although Carmelo is not the best defender in the world, he does put out effort against the best the NBA has to offer on the defensive end.At this point in his career, Carmelo will buy into any defensive system the new Rocket defensive coach, will implement.
Melo is a competitor, and if he wants to win a ring like his buddies LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, he needs to consider Houston. Carmelo, Dwight, and James Harden would be a nightmare to deal with for opponents. For the Rockets to make a run at Carmelo they would have to do a number of moves with their roster to free up cap space, but if he decided to take his talents to Houston, the Rockets would have the star power necessary to win a NBA Championship.
Melo is an excellent three point shooter as he shot 40% from three point land last year. Although he is a player who typically has the ball in his hand most of the time, he has shown the ability to stand on the wing and knock down shots. With Harden’s slashing ability and Melo’s shooting/cutting ability, the two of them would be a deadly combination
The Rockets have a big decision to make this summer, whether they want to go for role players or big names.
Who do you think is the best option, via free agency?