Brooklyn Nets: Evaluating Houston Rockets fire sale possibilities

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Brooklyn Nets P.J. Tucker (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

With the Houston Rockets reportedly opening a fire sale that includes the entire roster and future draft picks, could there be pieces for the Brooklyn Nets?

The Houston Rockets are open for business, according to a report, throwing their entire roster and future draft picks out there for trade talks. Could there be some pieces that could help the Brooklyn Nets reach the next level?

Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is looking to reshape his club after falling short in the postseason against the Golden State Warriors in each of the last two seasons, according to a report from ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski.

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Houston finished the the NBA’s best record in 2017-18, but lost Games 6 and 7 of the Western Conference Finals to the Warriors Chris Paul injured his hamstring during the Rockets’ Game 5 victory that put them up 3-2 in the series.

This season, Houston recovered from a rocky start to finish with 53 wins and the No. 4 seed in the West, but again lost the series clincher at home to Golden State, this time in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Shams Charania of The Athletic (subscription required) reported last week that Paul and reigning MVP James Harden were less than happy with the team’s style of play in the loss to the Warriors, a report later refuted by coach Mike D’Antoni in a Q&A with The Athletic‘s Sam Amick (subscription required).

With D’Antoni seeking an extension with just one year remaining on his current contract (and there’s no duck more lame than an NBA coach entering the final year of his deal), the report from Wojnarowski appears to confirm some of the rumblings about the Rockets and their fit as a unit.

Four Rockets — Iman Shumpert, Gerald Green, Austin Rivers and former Net Kenneth Faried — are set to become unrestricted free agents on July 1, with Danuel House a restricted free agent.

Veteran center Nene, meanwhile, has a $3.83 million player option for next season.

Houston is currently capped out for next season, with Paul’s $38.51 million salary and Harden’s $38.15 million deal for next season eating up more than 70 percent of the projected $109 million salary cap for 2019-20.

Throw in the $15.9 million for Clint Capela, Eric Gordon‘s $14.06 million and the $8.35 million owed to P.J. Tucker next season and the Rockets are already over the projected cap at $114.97 million.

Gary Clark has a $1.42 million guarantee for next season, as well, and Nene’s option would leave Houston at $120.22 million — less than $12 million short of the projected luxury tax line of $132 million.

Wojnarowski’s report indicated a trade for Harden would be extremely unlikely, but that the rest of the roster could be had.

So taking Harden out of the equation, what’s left that could help Brooklyn?

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