Damian Lillard to Houston? Sixers star Paul George makes a case for it
After using most of their non-taxpayer, mid-level exception (NT-MLE) to sign Dorian Finney-Smith, the Houston Rockets are hard capped at the NBA's first-apron threshold.
So, general manager Rafael Stone doesn't have much financial wiggle room, as currently constructed. At Monday's media availability, Stone indicated that the current roster will likely be very similar to the one Houston takes to 2025-26 training camp in late September.
But the Rockets do have an ability to make deals near the minimum-salary level. In his latest podcast, Philadelphis 76ers star Paul George suggested nine-time NBA All-Star Damian Lillard (currently a free agent) as a plausible candidate.
Via Podcast P with Paul George:
Put him with Houston… You put him on that team where there is a KD (Kevin Durant), there's defense around him, there's length around him. I always like if it's a smaller guard, pair him with length around him. There's enough youth to where he doesn't have to carry the load.
Lillard is a unique situation on multiple levels. After tearing his Achilles while playing for the Bucks in the 2025 playoffs, he was recently 'waived and stretched' by Milwaukee for financial reasons. So, because he is still getting paid every dollar of his original maximum-salaried contract, it's plausible that he could sign with a new team for a relatively small sum.
The question is whether Houston will or should be interested. For starters, the Rockets already have two point guards in veteran Fred VanVleet and promising second-year talent Reed Sheppard. Second, due to the Achilles tear, Lillard is expected to miss most or potentially all of the upcoming 2025-26 season.
Furthermore, at 35 years old, it's unclear how good Lillard will be when he eventually returns. Historically, Achilles tears can be tough for older players to fully recover from.
Then again, Lillard was an All-Star last season while averaging approximately 25 points and 7 assists per game and shooting at a very high level. So, it would be foolish to rule out the possibility of a championship contender (like the Rockets) taking a look.
For now, though, it's simply fun speculation. Because Lillard is nowhere close to playing and is still getting paid, he's in no rush to sign his next deal.
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