As the Houston Rockets head into the middle of February, rumors circle around possible acquisitions with the NBA trade deadline on Thursday. The Rockets' improved season, compared to previous years, highlights the strengths of their current roster. Coach Ime Udoka even said it himself. Signing him in the offseason is a fast track to returning to the playoffs.

So far, it's done wonders. The Rockets are 23-27, already surpassing their previous regular season win totals for the past three seasons. Unfortunately, there are still lingering issues: A quality backup center, perimeter defense, a backup combo guard, and oddly enough, effort. These types of pieces would require giving up quite a bit. For the Rockets hopeful, here are some of their biggest needs at the 2024 NBA trade deadline.

Backup big

Initially, this was the pressing issue. The necessity of a big man to back up Alperen Sengun has been a broken record throughout this entire season. For all intents and purposes, Jock Landale is not the guy and will never be the guy to effectively fill that slot. In the long term, the Rockets may have solved this problem. The recent trade involving the acquisition of Steven Adams in exchange for Victor Oladipo and three seconds does fill the void—except only for next season.

Adams is still recovering from knee surgery, and his contributions expect to  be in full effect in the following year. This move indicates the patience Rafael Stone and Ime Udoka have as they have come to realize the verdict of this season with their team now falling to the 12th spot behind the Golden State Warriors. Currently, they are still two games away from the 10th play-in spot. Should they desire to win more games, maybe the Rockets temporarily fill in this rim protector hole in the short term by claiming a big man off waivers or signing a vet to a minimum contract.

Shooting

The Rockets shooting percentages beyond the arc this year have left a little bit to be desired. As a team, they are 26th in the league in three point percentage and 14th in attempts. Away from home, they are second to last in percentage at 33.1%. It's one of the main reasons why the infamous 5-18 road record exists.

The Rockets have a need for a quality combo guard and three-point shooter to add more versatility to the depth, as they've been heavily reliant on pick and rolls. When the starting lineup is on the floor, it seems like the majority of plays consist of Jalen Green isolations along with Fred VanVleet pick and rolls with Alperen Sengun.

This play-calling overtime grows more predictable against opposing teams, especially ones who are playoff contenders. Players that have been linked to the Rockets during the trade deadline season are the Portland Trail Blazers' Malcolm Brogdon, New York Knicks' Quentin Grimes, Atlanta Hawks' AJ Griffin, Brooklyn Nets' Mikal Bridges, and the Utah Jazz's Kelly Olynyk.

Mikal Bridges especially, has gotten much media attention surrounding the possibility of the Rockets acquiring him. Via the Nets, the front office is reportedly asking at least a star-level player paired with multiple first-round picks. News from Marc Stein and Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer discussed in depth that the Rockets were close to making a move in exchange for Bridges with the willingness of offering their starting guard in Jalen Green.

Brooklyn asking this much for a borderline All-Star level player should be a red flag for Houston. For what it's worth, Bridges is a capable scorer with elite wing defense and can guard multiple positions. This description doesn't necessarily translate into “star” level talent.

There's no doubt the Rockets could use someone like him. But let's be honest. The Nets are asking for too much.

Rockets prepared for the future, but need to address the now

So far, the proposed trade involving Green and Bridges hasn't become a reality, leaving most Rockets faithful relieved. Per Fischer, Houston's trade priorities have shifted recently. Regardless of if they make the play-in, the Rockets are looking to make a bigger splash in the upcoming offseason.

Nevertheless, shooting and playmaking still need to be addressed. This has become more of a necessity with the loss of guard Fred VanVleet due to an adductor sprain. While he is expected to be back after the All-Star break, the excessive minutes throughout this season has taken a huge toll on his overall health. Something needs to be done about this to mitigate any further injury to the Rockets point guard, mainly due to the max deal level money he signed with Houston in the offseason.

In summary, the guard problem is their biggest need. The Rockets acquiring Adams is a sign to focus on the future, but current problems still lie ahead. Bridges should be out of the discussion based on the Nets asking price. Houston needs to regroup and take another look at Brogdon, whom they've been in rumored discussions since the start of the 2023-2024 season.

The trade deadline is on Thursday at 3 p.m. eastern time. To make the play-in, the time to act is now.