Rockets Want to Keep Starting 5 Intact Despite Trade Chatter

The Houston Rockets were unable to get by the Golden State Warriors in the playoffs for the second straight season, leading to a sense of unease around the organization. What followed was a surprising amount of trade speculation that included almost every key player on the roster.

However, Houston still has a bonafide superstar in James Harden and a solid supporting cast; they just happened to run into a super-team. And general manager Daryl Morey actually has no intention of ripping apart with their core group after all.

To hear Morey tell it, "Our starting five this year I would put up there with anyone. If there's a trade out there that helps we'll do that. We're going to keep all of our key people."

This is not to say he won't continue looking for better players, however. All this means is that with free agency set to begin in about a month, the Rockets will prioritize re-signing their in-house talent before looking outside the organization for additional help.

There has been some discussion over the Rockets potentially trying to move Chris Paul, as the nine-time All-Star isn't getting any younger. Paul averaged a career-worst 15.6 points this season to go along with 8.2 assists and 2.0 steals a game, but is still owed a gigantic pile of money over the next three seasons.

While Houston has had some success with its starting five as currently constructed lineup, keeping CP3 on the books -- to say nothing of big man Clint Capela, who is talented but limited -- hampers their cap flexibility at least, and holds them back on the court at most. If Morey doesn't want to blow things up, he'll have to get awfully creative in figuring out how to compete in the West over the course of Harden's prime years.