The Houston Rockets were outclassed on Wednesday night, losing to the rival Dallas Mavericks 128-108. A ridiculous 25-11-17 stat line from James Harden wasn’t nearly enough to keep things close, mostly because Houston couldn’t stop a nosebleed.

Though Dallas played well overall, their biggest edge came from the bench. Behind a double-double from JJ Barea (13 points, 12 assists) and an out-of-body shooting experience from Devin Harris (20 points in 14 minutes, 5-of-6 from three), Dallas’ bench outscored Houston’s 55-25. In short, it’s pretty much impossible to overlook how bad Houston’s bench is right now.

Obviously, you can attribute a large chunk of that to the injury bug again. Chris Paul has been out, which has forced Eric Gordon back into the starting lineup. Gerald Green’s recent absence (ankle) led to the signing of forward Danuel House, who has played 51 minutes over the last two games.

Still, a heavier burden — honestly, too much a burden — has fallen on Harden and Gordon to create with Paul out. It makes some sense considering they’re the best two creators available, but it’s also problematic because they’re the only two creators left.

Free agent signing Michael Carter-Williams has been a non-factor, while Brandon Knight has yet to play as he recovers from pre-season surgery. Considering Paul’s age and health and Harden’s (and Gordon’s) importance down the road, Houston’s in desperate need of someone that can take some of the creation load off of them.

The Rockets will always be in the trade market, and I imagine they’ll sniff around for some help soon. For now, let’s take a look at some potential free agent options.

Established Veterans

• Ty Lawson

I’m kidding! I promise! Please keep reading!

• Jameer Nelson

Nelson isn’t too far removed from being one of better backup point guards in the league. His ability to snake around picks and find guys in pick-and-roll would fit well with the second unit. There’s also some off-ball potential there as he’s a career 36.8 percent three-point shooter.

• Ramon Sessions

Sessions isn’t, nor has he ever been a plus three-point shooter. He does, however, possess enough craft in pick-and-roll to keep defenders on their toes.

• Jason Terry

Terry may be old enough to be my father, but the man can still give you an eight-points-in-two-minutes stretch to break a game open. He’s the right kind of veteran that is fine with racking up DNP-CDs while staying ready enough to contribute while called on.

Mid-Tier Veterans

• Mario Chalmers

Chalmers made his triumphant return last season following a torn Achilles that forced him to miss the 2016-17 campaign. He averaged roughly eight points and three assists and proved he could still hold his own on the perimeter. His once-reliable three-point shooting has cratered (29.3 percent on 2.8 attempts since 2014-15), and he’ll have to regain that to provide plus-value on both ends. Still, he’s experienced and feisty — the Rockets could use a little more edge.

• Malcolm Delaney

Delaney quietly proved to be a respectable backup guard in Atlanta over the last two seasons (5.7 points, 2.8 assists in 17.8 minutes), though I don’t blame anyone for not watching them last season. He could bring some order to the bench.

• Brandon Jennings

The idea of Jennings has always been better than the real thing. With that said, he’s a slithery ball-handler that isn’t afraid to pull-up on a dime. He’s also a pretty underrated passer. He doesn’t defend well enough (or score efficiently enough) to work as a primary backup, but he can certainly help in a pinch.

• Shane Larkin

Larkin’s size has prevented him from enjoying consistent success, but he’s the textbook example of a spark plug. He’s basically Darren Sproles with a pull-up jumper.

Young Fliers

• Juwan Evans

Evans was one of the most explosive guards in college basketball during his time at Oklahoma State. Despite his size, he was able to get to his spots virtually whenever he wanted, mixing in tough drives and jumpers off the bounce. He never got a real shot with the Clippers because of their guard situation, but he’s worth taking a short-term chance on. He’s a bucket.

• Gary Payton II

You will never guess who his father is.

In theory, Payton has the size and athleticism to get to the rack and defend both guard spots, though he hasn’t consistently proven that in his young career.

• Derrick Walton Jr

Walton Jr. finished his four-year career at Michigan as a 40.1 percent shooter from deep on 4.6 attempts. He shot 37.7 percent from three on 5.6 attempts for the Sioux Falls SkyForce last season. That should be enough to intrigue Houston right there. Add in the fact that he’s a smart  player that takes care of the ball, and competes hard defensively, and you have the makings of a solid NBA backup. Don’t look for any “15 points in 12 minutes” games from him, but he can keep a second unit above water.

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