The Houston Rockets are in on the Kevin Love trade rumors, but to pull off any deal the team may have to trade both Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik while also finding a way to get Chandler Parsons under contract if they decline his option and this comes as teams like the Chicago Bulls, NY Knicks, LA Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers and everyone else is interested in trading with the Timberwolves for Love.
According to ESPN.com reporter Marc Stein, the Rockets are in on making a big move this summer and that could mean a deal for Love, a trade for Rajon Rondo or signing Carmelo Anthony, but to even attempt at any of those, the team will need to trade. The Bulls will have to make moves as well for a chance at getting him and that likely means a trade of Carlos Boozer or using the amnesty clause on him.
The Boston Celtics also feel like they can go after Love since they have first round draft picks, but it's unclear if Danny Ainge wants to make that deal. The Rockets and GM Daryl Morey want to make a splash and he has long coveted Rondo and also would love to add Anthony. It looks like Carmelo is opting out and once he does that there is a good chance he could sign somewhere else. Adding Derek Fisher helps and that could be one reason Anthony stays, but the Rockets are going to go after him hard and the Knicks risk losing him.
Morey almost had a deal with the Boston Celtics last season for Rondo involving Asik, but the Celts did not want to take all that money without getting someone like Parsons. The Rockets will have to move Lin and Asik as well as other players to get things going for one of these deals and if all else fails, they could try and convince Anthony to sign. The Knicks feel they have the best chance to sign Anthony since they can give him the most money and longest contract, but after missing the playoffs this year and taking a massive step back overall, he could be on his way out of town.
The Rockets went 54-28 last season and got upset by the Blazers in the playoffs and now Morey will be looking to keep things going this year as he builds around Howard and Harden together in year two of that duo. Getting Howard was step one and now the team needs to add another star while also getting better on defense. Rondo looked good after coming off of a serious injury and he played in 30 games for the Celtics after coming back and he looks recovered and ready for this season.
The Bulls are a very interesting option for Love, as they have the players to move that could sway the Timberwolves to deal, with names like Carlos Boozer, Taj Gibson, Jimmy Butler and Tony Snell options along with draft picks. The team also is a near-championship ready roster with Derrick Rose coming back and Joakim Noah already there and if the Bulls miss out on Love, they likely will go after Carmelo Anthony as a free agent target from the Knicks. SI.com reported that the Bulls and the Houston Rockets are the two teams to watch other than the Knicks in the Anthony sweepstakes and if both those teams miss out on big trades for Love or Rajon Rondo, they will go hard at swaying Anthony.
The Rockets are coming off of a playoff loss in the first round to the Portland Trail Blazers and now Morey is looking to make a big move in the offseason. According to ESPN.com writer Marc Stein, the team is targeting Love and Rondo as trade options as well as Anthony on the free agent market, as he is expected to opt out of his deal with the Knicks this summer. Morey loves Rondo and wants to pull off that deal and if he can't get Love or Anthony, he will make that his main focus. The Rockets have assets they can move, but Morey is going to have to get creative again. Lowry also could be an option if the Rondo deal doesn't work.
