Their season over at the hands of the Portland Trailblazers and the brilliance of star point guard Damian Lillard, the Houston Rockets may finally be open to dealing emerging forward Chandler Parsons for their own backcourt star, according to ESPN.
The Rockets are expected to spend at least a part of their summer trying to pry All-Star guard Rajon Rondo from the Boston Celtics. To land a player of Rondo’s magnitude, the Rockets realize could mean doing something they might not otherwise be inclined to do.
Up until now, management has doggedly resisted all potential deals where Parsons name was so much as mentioned. But after the Blazers series and coming face-to-face with a point guard as dominant as the second-year Lillard proved to be, that way of thinking could be changing.
“Parsons is the Rocket every rival team tries to steal,” a source told ESPN. “Boston would insist on Parsons if Rondo-to-Houston talks ever got serious. Teams are likewise said to be telling the Rockets all the time, when (GM) Darryl Morey shops either Omer Asik or Jeremy Lin that it will also cost you Parsons if you’re expecting us to take on one of those infamous balloon payments.”
Wherever he might land, Parsons is almost certain to soon find himself much richer, as he is set to become a restricted free agent this summer. The 25-year-old third-year averaged 16.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.2 rebounds for Houston this season. Since being taken in the second round out of Florida in the 2012 draft, Parsons scoring and rebounding numbers have improved each year.
Still seeking to find his rhythm after undergoing offseason knee surgery, the veteran Rondo played in 30 games for the Celtics this season, averaging 12 points, 10 assists and six rebounds. Over his eight-year career, the 6-foot-1, 185 pound guard has 11 points, eight assists and five rebounds.
