NBA Trade Rumors: Jeremy Lin, Chandler Parsons May be Traded As Rockets Look For Third Star This Summer

The Houston Rockets are one of several title-chasing franchises expected to make big moves this coming summer, regardless of what would happen in their playoff run.

With a loaded draft and free agency class on the way, the Rockets will likely make significant deals to further improve their lineup.

In their first season with All-Star center Dwight Howard in the fold, the Rockets have taken a huge leap from playoff pretenders to title contenders. Houston is considered among the dark horses that would make the Western Conference playoffs interesting to watch.

But despite loading up last offseason, the Rockets are still nowhere near the level of the defending National Basketball Association (NBA) champion Miami Heat or even the Western Conference "Big Two" - the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder, according to several analysts.

Many feel the Rockets still need more firepower despite already having two legit superstars in SG James Harden and Howard. They need a third wheel, another star capable of filling in the stats sheet consistently every game.

This coming summer, the free agency pool is no shortage of talent. It's the same with the 2014 NBA Draft, touted as one of the deepest since the 2003 NBA Draft class. Ironically, members of the 2003 NBA Draft class - LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony - are the stars up for grabs this offseason, though Anthony has been the only one to declare he will test free agency.

The Rockets have already expressed their interest in acquiring Anthony when he hits the free agency market. Houston general manager Daryl Morey has been on a roll in pulling off big moves in the offseason, and Anthony could be his latest trophy to add alongside Harden and Howard.

With things shaking up in Houston, it won't be a shocker to see center Omer Asik, point guard Jeremy Lin and small forward Chandler Parsons playing for another team. Asik and Lin are the ones most likely to be shipped, but Parsons is another player who could be thrown as a trade-bait because of his tremendous upside, according to Rant Sports columnist Dave Daniels.

"You know that Morey will be looking to do something this summer, and it could result in the departure of role players like Chandler Parsons and Jeremy Lin. That would be a sad day, but the business of basketball stops for no man," Daniels stated.

Parsons is putting up solid stats (16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists)  in his third season, while Lin is enjoying his most efficient year (12 points and 4.1 assists in 29 minutes per game) despite being relegated to a sixth man role.