Does Bradley Beal to the Clippers Threaten the Rockets' NBA Title Hopes?

The Clippers have made a major addition on top of what has already been a successful offseason for the franchise. They managed to re-sign Harden to a new deal while adding prominent veterans Brook Lopez and John Collins. With Beal, LA has a legitimate nine-to-10-man rotation. Reports are also circulating that the organization could bring back Chris Paul to a veteran's minimum contract.

The question for the Rockets is, does the Beal signing legitimately threaten their position in the Western Conference? Sure, he's a three-time All-Star and most recently averaged 17 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. However, we've seen stars teaming up fail in recent seasons.

Even though Beal's tenure with the Suns was an utter failure, the move puts Houston at risk of sliding down in the West. LA showcased elite basketball through the second half of the season, going 21-9 before the start of the playoffs.

Beal is more of a veteran who fits the Clippers more than a primary scorer. He can certainly create shots for himself, but he should play more of a catch-and-shoot role behind Harden and Leonard. When the star duo isn't on the floor, that's when we should see Beal have more freedom in scoring.

The Clippers may have solidified themselves as a top-three team in the West, up there with the Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder. On top of that, the Denver Nuggets are a looming threat, as they bolstered their bench this offseason. Houston got noticeably better with the Durant trade, but the West's top teams had just as much of an improvement.