The Rockets lay off employees again! Shepard performed poorly in the summer league, and the Rockets plan to sign veteran defenders to strengthen the back line!

Rockets lay off employees again! Williams left the team with poor performance, may Paul become the savior of the backcourt?

Recently, the Houston Rockets took another move in lineup adjustment, and the official announcement of the layoff of defender Williams. This decision mainly stems from Williams' sluggish performance in the summer league, which was difficult to meet the team's expectations, and the Rockets had to make changes to the lineup optimization. At the same time, the Rockets have put the reinforcement of the back line on the agenda and are in close contact with free agent Chris Paul and are expected to complete the signing.

Williams played for the Rockets in this year's Las Vegas Summer League. However, he averaged only 4.5 points and 1.8 assists per game, with a shooting percentage as low as 30%, and his three-point shooting percentage was even more terrible, with only 18%. On the defensive end, he often has problems such as missing people and missing positions, which cannot provide effective defensive support for the team. Such performance has gradually lost his position in the highly competitive Rockets lineup.

"We thank Williams for his efforts during the team, but judging from the performance of the summer league, his current state and strength cannot meet the team's needs for the new season," Rockets general manager Stone said in an interview. "The team is moving towards the goal of winning the championship, and every position needs players who are competitive enough, so it is a helpless move to make this decision."

With Williams' departure, the Rockets' back staff is a little nervous. Among the team's main defenders, Van Vleet is experienced, but has been injured frequently last season and is in doubt. Young Amen Thompson and Shepard are still in their growth stages and are difficult to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the backcourt at critical moments. To change this situation, the Rockets quickly targeted Chris Paul, who has extensive experience and excellent organizational abilities.

Paul, the legendary point guard who has been playing in the NBA for many years, has numerous honors in his career. He has top ball control skills and an excellent overall view, and can make about 9 assists per game, which can sort out the team's offense in an orderly manner. The three-point shooting percentage is stable at around 37%, which can open up space for the team on the outside and create more offensive opportunities for Shin Kyung and Smith in the inside. On the defensive end, Paul is able to make correct judgments and defensive choices when dealing with pick-and-rolls with rich experience and positive attitude, which is a key link in the team's defensive system.

It is reported that the negotiations between the Rockets and Paul have made some progress. Paul is eager to reach the championship at the end of his career, and the Rockets have formed a lineup with the strength to compete for the championship through a series of signings and trades, which is extremely attractive to Paul. At the same time, the Rockets also attach great importance to Paul's leadership in the locker room and his guiding role for young players, hoping that he can become the mentor of the team's young guards and help them grow rapidly.

"Paul is the kind of player who can change the team's temperament and game rhythm. His experience and ability are exactly what we need urgently at the moment," said Rockets head coach Uduka. "If he can successfully sign him, I believe he can bring qualitative improvement to the team, both on and off the court."

At present, the two sides are still discussing the details of the contract. Once an agreement is reached, Paul will become an important supplement to the Rockets' back line and will also give the Rockets more confidence in the competition in the Western Conference in the new season. Rockets fans are also full of expectations for this potential signing, and have expressed their welcome to Paul's joining on social media, hoping that he can react with the team's existing core players and lead the Rockets to launch an attack on the championship.