NBA News and Rumors: Houston Rockets Sign James Harden Backups; Dwight Howard, Ty Lawson Welcome Montrezi Harrell and Joshua Smith

By Mitch de Leon
James Harden Houston Rockets
James Harden Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets have been busy acquiring basketball stars left and right this NBA offseason. With the Cleveland Cavaliers bolstering its roster courtesy of the re-signing of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and Iman Shumpert, as well as the intense training of the Golden State Warriors which look forward to better and more notable performances from Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Jason Thompson, the Houston Rockets could not afford to lag behind in terms of signing players who can serve as back up to James Harden.

Although the runner-up NBA MVP showed notable improvement in the hardwood last season, the fact remains that the Houston Rockets were undermanned and failed to provide James Harden the much needed support to push the team to the finals.

The latest news surrounding the Houston Rockets rosters disclosed that the NBA team signed two new stars to its team - a move that could eventually see James Harden cut down his minutes in the court. The first basketball star signed to the Houston Rockets roster is Montrezl Harrell. The second-round pick of the Houston Rockets is reportedly confirmed to ink a three-year contract worth $3.1 million with the NBA team, according to Mark Berman of Fox 26. The deal with the Houston Rockets will not give Montrezl Harrell a guaranteed salary or options. However, the entry of the 6'7" power forward in the Houston Rockets roster will cause the NBA team to be hard-capped, placing them at a limited capacity to make succeeding moves.

According to sports analysts, the deal with Montrezl Harrell provided a better offer compared with the usual salaries given to players of the same caliber. Hence, it would not be farfetched to think that the Houston Rockets saw the potential of the power forward and did not hesitate to pay good money for it. Needless to say, Montrezl Harrell will be expected to find his place in the court alongside Houston Rockets stars Ty Lawson, Dwight Howard and James Harden.

Another addition to the Houston Rockets roster is Joshua Smith - a basketball star sports analysts are quick to point out as different from the Josh Smith who bid goodbye to James Harden and Dwight Howard and went to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this year. The newly minted Houston Rockets star eyes to play center and at 350 pounds, he might just be able to make it to the NBA team's 15-man roster.

The news of Joshua Smith's signing with the Houston Rockets was confirmed by Ira Winderman of South Florida Sun Sentinel via social media. The sports analyst wrote, "Heat summer-camp center Joshua Smith says he has reached an agreement with the Houston Rockets."

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