NBA Rumors: Houston Rockets Sign Ben McLemore Trade; James Harden, Nene Celebrate New Alpha

Oct 04, 2016 06:40 AM EDT

The Houston Rockets are set to prove their critics wrong this season. With a renewed passion from franchise leader James Harden, the Ryan Anderson team looks forward to becoming a serious contender in the Western Conference. Although the entry of Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors, which effectively created a super team with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, could pose a great threat to the Houston Rockets, Nene and his squad remain optimistic of their chances in the league. Is it because of the Ben McLemore trade the team is said to have completed recently?

The Sacramento Kings are projected to shop most of its core players in an effort to rebuild their roster. Amid the Rudy Gay trade talks and exit of DeMarcus Cousins from the team, fans see yet another main man leaving soon. Analysts predict that a Ben McLemore trade will be finalized before the season starts and one of the suitors for the star is the Houston Rockets.

"I've been really focused on myself this summer," said Ben McLemore of the NBA trade rumors surrounding his name. "I let my agent, I let my manager handle all the front-office business while I focused on Ben. ... I just told my team to keep me updated on anything dealing with me so I can continue to be a pro and focused on my game."

The Ben McLemore trade rumors once again surfaced after the NBA draft when the Sacramento Kings picked Malachi Richardson. Playing the same position as the 23-year-old star, the rookie is expected to take over this season. Does this mean that the Sacramento Kings are planning to finally trade him?

"Sacramento also has made shooting guard Ben McLemore, in the final year of his rookie contract, available for months, after acquiring Malachi Richardson in a draft-day deal and signing veteran Arron Afflalo," revealed Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.

Rumors are rife that the Houston Rockets are looking for another alpha to help out James Harden in the hardwood court. Since the Ryan Anderson team lost the Kevin Durant free agency lottery to the Golden State Warriors, the Sacramento Kings star is speculated to be the next option. However, no official comment has been given by any of the parties concerned.

At this point, the Houston Rockets are focused on strengthening their roster behind James Harden. As they enter yet another season, the Ryan Anderson team aims to bounce back and become serious contenders to challenge the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference. As for the Sacramento Kings, the NBA team has yet to figure out how to handle the trade rumors surrounding its star players.