So much of the focus this NBA offseason has been on the contenders and what all they’re doing to make pushes to land in the winner’s circle next summer. The Suns got Bradley Beal, the Warriors unloaded Jordan Poole and snagged Chris Paul, the Celtics landed Kristaps Porziņģis and their archrivals, the Heat, are trying to make a trade for superstar Damian Lillard.
But two or three contention layers beneath that, the 22-win Rockets made waves of their own, agreeing to pay one-time All-Star Fred VanVleet more than $43 million per year over the next three seasons and handing former Grizzlies wing Dillon Brooks an $80 million deal over four years. Longtime vet Jeff Green, who will turn 37, signed with the Rockets for two years and $16 million.
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