Dylan Buell/Getty ImagesThe Houston Rockets took a positive step forward in their rebuild this past season, finishing 41-41 and 11th in the Western Conference, just missing the Play-In Tournament.
There is young talent in place and solid veterans supporting them. Now, continuing to build out the roster is key. And one name identified in that effort has reportedly been free-agent-to-be Malik Beasley.
According to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, "Houston has identified floor spacing and shooting as an area of need this offseason privately and publicly and have an interest in veteran sharpshooter Beasley, league sources said."
Beasley, 27, averaged 11.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 79 games (77 starts) for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2023-24 season, shooting 44.3 percent from the field and a career-best 41.3 percent from three.
He's emerged as one of the league's more reliable options from beyond the arc, hitting on 38.5 percent of his threes during his career. That should make him a popular option for teams looking to add floor-spacing in free agency.
As Iko noted, both the Orlando Magic and Golden State Warriors also have interest in his services. Other teams in contending mode will likely inquire as well.
The Rockets, meanwhile, will have a few avenues to improve themselves this offseason.
For one, the team has the No. 3 overall pick. They could use that selection to add more young talent or package it in a trade for a veteran star. Iko noted that "talks have largely been informal, the bulk of concrete offers likely won't come in until draft night, but a handful of teams have expressed interest in acquiring the pick."
If the team does decide to sell the selection, one name to watch out for is Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell. Iko reported that the Rockets "are among those interested in the 27-year-old and have been monitoring his situation for months."
The team could also move down the draft board in an effort to add more assets overall.
The Rockets will be more limited in one they can do in free agency, however, likely only having access to the non-taxpayer midlevel exception and minimum contracts. Slotting a player like Beasley into that exception would make sense.
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