Rockets are preparing a big push for Lebron James

League sources say that Houston is preparing to make an all-out push to land James when free agency opens on July 1, assuming James opts out, as expected. If the Rockets miss out on James, they will turn their full attention to Carmelo Anthony. Chris Bosh is also on the radar.

There are rumblings that James will start weighing his options this weekend. One rival executive pegged his chances of leaving Miami at 40 percent.

The competition for James' affection will be fierce, but Houston's pitch may be tough to beat.

The Rockets already have the league's best guard-center tandem (Harden-Howard), solid young role players (Chandler Parsons (who is set to become a restricted free agent), Patrick Beverley, Terrence Jones) and an owner (Les Alexander) who is willing to spend. Houston also has all of its first-round picks for the next couple of years as well as a knack for finding talent late in the draft.

Like Florida, Texas has no state income tax, negating Miami's advantage on that front and giving the Rockets a big selling point in their pursuit of Anthony. (A player pays about 10 percent more in taxes in New York than in Texas.)

What the Rockets don't have is salary-cap room. But they could clear about $19 million by unloading a few players, starting with Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin, who are taking up a combined $16.7 million in cap space.

However, their contracts are unique and potentially difficult to move: Asik and Lin are each due a massive $15 million balloon payment next season, although they count as $8.37 million each for cap purposes. Then again, their contracts expire in 2015, so the commitment is minimal.

Sources say the Rockets are confident they can trade both players to teams with cap room and thus take back no salary in return.

There is ample interest in Asik, an elite defensive center who could start for most teams. Lin will be tougher to move, although the Rockets could include a draft pick to pair with him as a deal sweetener.

Houston would then need to trade two minor pieces—Donatas Motiejunas and Isaiah Canaan—and waive a few players with non-guaranteed deals to create the $19 million slot. Once they sign a star, the Rockets would re-sign Parsons by using his Bird rights.

The new starting five would be James, Harden, Howard, Parsons and Beverley. That's worthy of title-contender status, even in the ultra-competitive West. Indeed, that lineup is arguably superior to the one James joined in Miami four years ago.

Harden and Howard are a younger, better version of Wade and Bosh. Parsons and Beverley are more talented than any of the Heat's current supporting cast.

Sub in Anthony instead of James, and the Rockets would still have an incredibly dynamic team that would be capable of challenging the Spurs and the Thunder.