Houston Rockets: 3 biggest ‘what ifs’ from a nightmarish season

What if the Houston Rockets had taken the rumored Philly offer for James Harden instead of Brooklyn’s?

Ben Simmons and two first-round picks. Simmons is a good offensive player and an elite defender. You add him to a Rockets team with John Wall and Christian Wood, not exactly a “big three” but that’s two good young players and an end of his prime version of John Wall.

That’s a playoff team, right? Plus, the two future first-round picks. What killed the deal? Was Houston asking for too much? Was Philly being too difficult thinking they were the only suitor? Basically, it reportedly came down to Tyrese Maxey, Philly’s rookie backup point guard. Houston wanted more of a haul for Harden, and Philly figured they had Houston in a corner and didn’t want to add Maxey in the deal.

For both teams, it was ridiculous. Philly missed out on a chance to get Harden and pair him with Joel Embiid. Houston gives up a chance to get a current asset, under contract, plus two first-round picks. All because a rookie wasn’t in the deal. We’re not talking about Zion here, we’re talking about a 6-foot-3 guard, who’s a nice player, but come on, right?

Let’s say both teams agree to terms and Philly ends up with Harden and Houston ends up with Simmons and the picks. With KD being injured the majority of this season, and Kyrie being in and out of the lineup, Harden’s MVP-like numbers he’s putting up on Brooklyn would change the landscape of what the NBA would look like.

Specifically, the Eastern Conference. Without James, Brooklyn would be in the mix for sure, but with KD’s Injury they’d have to rely a ton on Kyrie and LeVert which isn’t too bad, but it’s not the impact of a Harden, not even close.

Brooklyn would still have LeVert and young center, Jarrett Allen. Which in turn means no LeVert for Indiana, and no Oladipo for Houston. And finally Simmons, out of Embiid’s shadow and on his own team in Houston.

The fit of Simmons with Wall would be strange but what the alternative? Oh, that’s right, Olynyk and Bradley. Yeah, I’ll take my chances with the odd fit of Simmons with player X and player Y. As much as Simmons may not be a great fit with some of the Rockets guards, could you imagine a fastbreak with Simmons and Wood? Or a two-man game with Simmons and Wood? They’d be a great fit, why couldn’t this have happened.

If Houston landed Simmons, they’d be a lot better than where they are at right now for sure. Still rebuilding, but with two very solid pieces that are on a similar timeline and for sure part of their future plans. Unfortunately, that is not what happened.