While the finals are well on their way to keeping the fans interest piqued, several teams themselves are already focused on prepping their lists for the NBA draft this coming June 23.
The Houston Rockets are already getting linked to a few renowned players who got a name for themselves on the big court. ESPN notes that this might not be Kevin Durant, who has been spotted hanging out with James Harden a few times over the past week.
The Rockets are said to already have a strained relationship with their starting center Dwight Howard, so it wouldn't be a surprise if they ended up with someone else in the lineup this time. Others wonder if he even made enough impact to stay. Analysts are predicting that he is opting out of this contract and becoming a free agent this coming season. However, Daryl Morey, their general manager, did mention to SiriusXM Bleacher Report Radio that their team is planning to "welcome" Dwight Howard back to the Rockets, according to Sports Illustrated.
Mike D'Antoni has also gotten associated with the team, since the former Philadelphia 76ers coach has gotten hired as the first to land on the new team, according to The Sixer Sense. This new coach might even implement his usual offensive playing style to this year's lineup, and this may affect the performance of the long-standing players already on the team. This seems to be a risk they are willing to take, though.
It does seem like their star center Dwight Howard might have a chance for a different kind of chemistry with D'Antoni, but he might just already opt out of the final year. Apparently, the Rockets dangled his name at the 2016 trade deadline as bait. There is also another talent option for the team, and this would be Nerlens Noel. This young center has a huge upside and wouldn't be too pricey for the team, so he might just be their new choice for their starting lineup this year.
