Van Vleet is in a hurry to get injured in No. 1! US media suggests the Rockets sign Mr. Wei

VanVleet was reimbursed for the season and the Rockets were in a hurry to get the first position. Originally, No. 1 position was the Rockets' shortcomings, especially the lack of reliable substitutes. Now that Van Vleet is injured, the Rockets' No. 1 position is completely vacant.

The US media quickly gave the Rockets a trick: sign free agent Russell Westbrook. Westbrook's performance in the Nuggets last season was not bad, and he was an important contributor to the team's ability to enter the playoffs. He averaged double digits per game in the playoffs and decided the outcome of the game in the first game of the series. However, 36-year-old Westbrook faces the problem of finding a job this summer. He has not signed with any team so far. There was news that the Kings were interested in him, but the matter was left unresolved.

The Kings did not give Westbrook a contract, which is understandable. After all, there are many people available on the back line, but the Rockets signed Westbrook, which is undoubtedly reasonable now. After Van Vleet is reimbursed, the Rockets need someone to take on the ball, and the experienced Westbrook is undoubtedly the right choice.

However, the biggest thing that the Rockets sign Westbrook lies in the rules. According to the labor-management agreement, the Rockets are no longer able to sign more basic-paid players, including non-base-paid players. In addition, they cannot use special injuries unless the team can free up salary space. To free up salary space, the Rockets need to wait because none of them, including Adams, VanVleet, Capela, Finney Smith, Jabbarry Smith, Okogie, Tate, Aaron Holiday and Jeff Green can trade by December 15. The players they can trade are Amen Thompson, Shepard, Shinkyung, Durant and Ethan, but these players are obviously not going to give up.

Therefore, the Rockets will have extremely limited space to operate before December 15, and it can even be said that they will not operate. The most likely situation at the moment is that the Rockets are tapping their potential internally, either they believe in marginal figures like Aaron Holiday, or they let Shepard and Amen Thompson take the No. 1 position, waiting for the two young players to grow further.

Will Westbrook remain free until December 15? There is undoubtedly such a possibility. After all, Westbrook has not yet been able to find a suitable next player. If Westbrook is still a free agent by December 15 and the Rockets' position at No. 1 is obvious enough, then perhaps Westbrook and the Rockets will cooperate again after 2020, and Westbrook will also cooperate again with Durant in 2016. It is worth mentioning that this Rockets already has many former Thunder players: Jeff Green, Durant, and Adams.