The Rockets are currently in a peculiar situation. The team demonstrated its commitment to the rebuilding process this summer when it signed Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet, paying them a combined salary of over $63 million this season and signing them to contracts worth a total of over $214 million.
It sends a message about what to expect going forward when two players in their late 20s and 30s, respectively, make that kind of commitment.
The Rockets’ strong pursuit of Mikal Bridges, the outstanding player for the Brooklyn Nets, indicates that they are undoubtedly in the mood to pick up speed.
However, pivoting off the rebuilding path also means – eventually – sacrificing young assets, of which Houston has plenty. That, in itself, offers some challenges.
