Rockets set to target Kyrie Irving if James Harden move fails

This offseason, Kyrie Irving is going to be one of the biggest names on the free agent market. All indications show that the Dallas Mavericks plan to retain him, but there is reportedly one Western Conference team waiting in the background.

Outside of Kyrie Irving, James Harden is also another big name on the market this summer. After a year-and-a-half with the Philadelphia 76ers, the All-Star point guard might be going elsewhere. Dating back to Christmas Day, there have been countless rumors about the Houston Rockets and Harden reuniting this summer.

With a few weeks to go until free agency, Harden is apparently torn on what he wants to do. Sticking with Joel Embiid possibly gives him the best chance of competing for a championship, while the Rockets might be willing to offer him a max contract. If he does decide to stay in Philly, reports emerged that Houston will then shift its sights to going after Irving.

While he's had plenty of off-court drama recently, Irving is still an elite talent. In 60 games for the Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks last season he averaged 27.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.5 assists.

Should the Houston Rockets pursue Kyrie Irving in free agency?

It's clear that the Houston Rockets want to end their rebuild and get back in the playoffs, but Kyrie Irving might not be the answer. His track record over the years as "the guy" on a team might not be what they want.

For starters, Irving perhaps isn't a good fit alongside the rest of the Rockets' core. An argument can be made for James Harden because of his willingness to be a playmaker, but that isn't the case for Irving. He and Jalen Green have a similar type of game which could yield negative results.

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Secondly, the last time Irving led a group of promising young talent it didn't end well. While with the Boston Celtics, he was a star alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in their early years. This relationship quickly came to an end and there were countless rumors that he was a locker room issue.

At the end of the day, Irving is still a star who will put fans in seats on a nightly basis. That being said, Houston might be better off going in a different direction.

With their current makeup, they need someone who can uplift the young players around them and help get them to the next level quickly.