As the Houston Rockets look to pick up the pieces from their devastating Game 6 loss against the San Antonio Spurs, they already face a difficult decision entering the offseason: Should they re-sign Nene?
On paper, the answer is a no-brainer. The Rockets got incredible production out of Nene this year, especially during the postseason in which he averaged 10.0 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 70.6 percent from the floor. On the other hand, Nene will turn 35 next season, and it was evident in Games 5 and 6 of the second round that the Rockets lacked depth at the center position.
With Nene unable to play due to a left adductor tear, Houston was forced to use Ryan Anderson in a backup center role and it simply didn’t go well as the Spurs were able to capitalize on the size advantage.
For what it’s worth, Nene felt rejuvenated in Houston and wants to be back with the Rockets next season:
Nene, the Rockets' lone FA: "I’ve been through a lot of situations. Here, I got young. I got healthy. And I got happy. I want to be back.”
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) May 12, 2017
It will be interesting to see what the Rockets do. Nene is a cheaper option for the team, but free agency might present them with the opportunity to add a bigger name, someone who might put them over the top next season.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
