Two Buyout Candidates for the Houston Rockets

There was an unsettling sentiment among the Houston Rockets' fanbase after the organization stayed silent at the NBA trade deadline. While the rest of the league was extremely active in another historic trade season, the Rockets were one of three teams that did not make any moves leading up to Feb. 5.

General manager Rafael Stone talked about looking at the buyout market after no trades. The Rockets have a serious need at point guard, with the injury bug striking at various times throughout the season.

Fred VanVleet (torn ACL) is not expected to return this season, while Houston has decided to run the position by committee. It has come with a lot of issues, most notably being the team ranking 26th in turnover rating. With plenty of veterans in the buyout market, here are three players the Rockets could use before the March 1 deadline for waived players to be playoff eligible:

Chris Paul

A lot of fans appear to be against bringing in Paul, a former Houston star. The 40-year-old was sent away from the LA Clippers early in the 2025-26 season, but finally moved to Toronto at the deadline. The Raptors are expected to waive him, which would allow the Rockets to potentially pick him up on a minimum deal.

Houston needs leadership, and while Paul's has been questioned in the past, he can be a contributor on both ends for a young core. Last season with the San Antonio Spurs, he averaged 8.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

The Rockets wouldn't need Paul to play a huge role other than simply initiating offense. There are probably better options out there, but it's worth a look.

Lonzo Ball

Ball was in the middle of the worst year of his career before the Cleveland Cavaliers traded him to the Utah Jazz, who then waived him. Now a free agent, this is the perfect opportunity for the 28-year-old to come into another situation and play more of an established role.

Houston would simply need Ball to be a facilitator and perimeter defender and mask some of the weaknesses that second-year guard Reed Sheppard has shown. Whether it be as a starter or off the bench, Ball's offensive limitations are apparent; the Rockets' needs align with his strengths.

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