Dallas put Houston in a tough spot — they made a three-year, $46 million offer to Chandler Parsons at the start of the free agent signing period and forced the Rockets to make a decision about just how badly they wanted him. Houston was focused at first on Chris Bosh, but when he decided to stay in South Beach the Rockets had to decide if they wanted to soak up their cap space with Parsons or keep it open for some future target.
Rockets GM Daryl Morey joined ‘In The Loop’ with Nick and Lopez on SportsRadio 610 in Houston and explained the reasoning as basically “we think we can do better.”“It takes three, at least, three elite players with very little exception, throughout history, it takes three elite players and a good set of players that fit around them. Once Bosh said ‘no’ it put us into another very difficult decision of, is matching Chandler Parsons, do we have a better chance of winning a title by matching it or not matching it. That comes down to a very simple question, is Harden, Howard, Parsons a three that can be a championship three? I actually think it can be. I think Chandler is a great player, getting better. Really really good player, no doubt. But the question is actually: is Harden Howard Parson, is that three a better championship odds than Harden, Howard and the team we can put together with a guaranteed lottery pick trade exceptions mid-level young team improving and continuing to be flexible? That was the very tough decision before us. But I can tell you this, in our opinion it was not close.”
“We are in a better [place] to win a championship by not matching it, once Bosh goes away than by not matching it.”
Morey confirmed the reports that if Bosh had come they would have matched the Parsons offer. He thought that would have given them as good a roster as there is in the league.
I get the flexibility argument. The challenge is getting that third star to come. Houston got Howard to agree to come and Harden to stay, and they will still be a very good team next season. But getting that third “star” is not going to be easy, as this summer has shown.
But that is the path the Rockets have chosen.