rocketrick

Also, per ESPN.com, here are our free agents for 2015 and 2016:
 
HOUSTON ROCKETS
2015 Free Agents
Restricted
Patrick Beverley
K.J. McDaniels
Unrestricted
Corey Brewer
Josh Smith
Jason Terry
 
2016 Free Agents
Restricted
Terrence Jones
Donatas Motiejunas
Kostas Papanikolaou
Unrestricted
Joey Dorsey
Dwight Howard (ETO)
Pablo Prigioni

With a lack of quality PG's in free agency, I would think the Rockets are leaning towards re-signing Patrick Beverley as long as he and his agent are halfway reasonable, something like $5-$6 million per. Who knows, maybe just a 2-year contract with a player option the 2nd year to take advantage of the Salary Cap increase starting 2016-17.

Corey Brewer does have a player option but it does make sense for him to probably accept that for 2015-16 and then see what he can earn thereafter with the coming Salary Cap increase.

KJ McDaniels makes sense to re-sign as insurance in case of injury to Ariza/Brewer and/or as a replacement for Brewer should he choose to move on to another team as long as the Rockets coaching staff and management see signs that McDaniels is a team player first and is willing to be patient in developing into a rotation player.

I would like to see the Rockets re-sign Josh Smith. I'm not sure, maybe someone is more in the know, but are the Pistons really stuck with the full amount of his remaining contract or is it true that it gets reduced by the amount he signs for with another team (the Rockets)? Just like Brewer, it might be beneficial for Josh Smith to re-sign with the Rockets for 1 additional year and test free agency in 2016-17.

I wouldn't mind seeing Jason Terry stay with the Rockets for 1 additional season. He was a positive influence in the locker room and certainly played as well as could be expected in the playoffs for someone his age and needed as a PG rather than his natural SG position during the playoffs. Should happen unless a contender is willing to pay him more than the Rockets can really afford.

Papanikolaou probably won't return as a Rocket. The Rockets have a team option on him they will have to act upon very soon and it's difficult to say the least to execute trades this time of the year. The Rockets more likely will want the extra cap space to re-sign some or all of the players mentioned above instead in my opinion. Papa could still become a decent NBA player at some point, very unlikely as a Rocket though.

I know Prigioni has a reasonable buy-out clause and I expect the Rockets will take advantage of that to again save some cap space. Prigioni was a quality pickup by Morey and the Rockets at the trade deadline but I just don't expect to see him here next season.

Does anyone know if Dorsey has a buy-out clause? Even if he doesn't, the Rockets may very well just bite the bullet and buy him out unless there is an extra roster spot available by the end of the 2015 pre-season. Either way, his salary will count against the Rockets cap for 2015-16 so I don't expect the Rockets will make a decision on him right away. Who knows, maybe the 76ers will take him in a trade?

So the following players are locks to be on the Rockets roster 2015-16 (unless traded for a significant player in return): D12, Harden, Ariza, T Jones, Motiejunas, Capela and Nick Johnson.

Corey Brewer, Josh Smith and KJ McDaniels are pretty decent bets to remain as Rockets, at minimum 2/3 probably are here next season.

The Rockets also have a 1st round draft pick (via Hornets) and a valuable 2nd round draft pick (32nd overall courtesy of Phil Jackson and the Knicks). So very likely 2 more roster spots will be filled with rookies.

So that is probably 11, possibly 12 roster slots already accounted for.

Assuming the Rockets re-sign Beverley and Terry, that will leave only 1 roster slot left, especially if the Rockets end up with Brewer, Josh Smith AND McDaniels.

That last roster spot is almost guaranteed to be another PG.

It's getting to the point that Morey and the Rockets will have to consider trading some of their depth going forward to obtain the best fit going forward, that being a second playmaker that can keep up with most of the fleet footed PG's in the league, someone with proven 3 point shotmaking abilities and someone willing to take a back seat to Harden at times.

This will no doubt be the most anticipated off-season the Rockets have had in a long, long time!

@Blakecouey
I think we must attempt a trade to fill the PG hole. I'm not really impressed with any of the FA's. problem is most teams with good PG's are not shopping them. I don't know if I really like Lawson, but he seems to be all that's available right now. I guess the Rockets must wait and see what shakes loose during the summer. as for draft picks..........Payne( Canaan was between them), Tryus Jones or a big man since this draft seems loaded with them. I really would like to see the Rockets trade and move up in the draft.

Doesn't Ty Lawson have some off court issues? The last thing the Rockets need is a negative influence in the locker room. That may be the main reason the Nuggets have been trying to trade him the past couple of seasons.

In regards to the top free agents this summer, the vast majority are big guys. Only one is a quality PG, that being Dragic, and I seriously doubt he leaves Miami. I have to agree with RBF, it may be difficult (although never impossible with Morey in charge) for the Rockets to vastly improve their PG position this off-season.

What's Capela's status?  I thought he showed big steps, strong finishing, as the season progressed.

The Rockets basically have Capela locked up through 2018 with team options the last 2 seasons. Unless the Rockets upgrade their roster significantly with a trade involving Capela (unlikely in my opinion), he is probably a Rocket for the next couple of seasons at least. And a much better backup Center than Dorsey, to say the least!

99 times out of 100, Harden gets a quality shot or makes a perfect pass. In this case, nobody had a clear path to the basket and Harden saw that in my opinion. Ariza was covered and Brewer darted out to the 3 point line in the corner but by then Harden was stuck in the double team.

It's amazing the Rockets even had a chance to win on the last possession after being down 8 with 1:20 left in the game.

If truth was told, Coach McHale likely told the guys to rebound and run downhill rather than call their last timeout when Golden State called time out just prior to their last possession.

The Rockets need more than 7 points from Ariza, need some offense from Corey Brewer and can someone please tell Josh Smith he is in the Western Conference Finals and needs to show up. I have a good feeling all 3 will play much better in Houston these next 2 games.

Rockets have to tie this series 2-2 to have any chance at all of winning the series.

Now is really not the time to be nitpicking or calling out specific players or the Head Coach, in my opinion. Enjoy the Playoffs, what a ride the Rockets have given us this entire season! I for one hope for a long run in these playoffs! By far the best and deepest roster the Rockets have had since their last great run in the 1990's in my honest opinion. Certainly not even close to the perfect roster which makes their accomplishments really stand out in my mind. And Coach McHale doesn't get near the credit he deserves, either!