The Houston Rockets are the worst team in the entire league. We've gone more than halfway through the season, and Houston has won just 11 games. That's the definition of futility, right? And while they do have some tantalizing young talents, the Rockets certainly have a lot of room for improvement. We don't expect Houston to make some huge moves at the deadline, though they can definitely try to acquire more draft assets. Here we will look at the dream scenario that the Rockets are hoping for as we close in on the 2023 NBA trade deadline.
The Rockets are in a rebuilding phase. They certainly have been learning a lot about their young core players like Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green. Keep in mind that those two are still developing. For his part, second-year center Alperen Sengun has been having a great season. He is, in fact, showing he's one of the league's most improved prospects.
A triple-double night for Alperen Sengun:
21 points
11 rebounds
10 assists pic.twitter.com/oraLJ5o1tM— NBA (@NBA) January 26, 2023
However, the Rockets still have a lot to learn. We expect to see their rebuilding process continue into the offseason. As the trade deadline approaches, General Manager Rafael Stone and the front office should look to acquire more assets for the future. Veteran guard Eric Gordon, who has been on the trade block since the team traded James Harden, is a key piece. We expect the 34-year-old to be traded for younger talent on a smaller contract and/or a number of second-round picks.
Now let's look at the Rockets' dream scenario for the 2023 NBA trade deadline.
Rockets get picks for Gordon and Tate/Martin Jr.
The Rockets are in the third year of their rebuilding. It's crystal clear that their focus is on developing young players for the future. However, the prolonged nature of this low period has raised concerns and will prompt critical examination at the end of the season. Being out of the playoffs while rebuilding his fine. However, they've stunk so badly that fans are really beginning to doubt if it's all worth the payoff. It would then be beneficial for the Rockets to consider selling assets.
Keep in mind that Houston does not need to part with valuable players to improve the team. However, they do need to streamline their current roster. Circling back, it is still unclear why Gordon is on the team. Truthfully, he should have been traded to another team where he can perform better long ago. Additionally, if the team plans to continue playing Garrison Mathews and Daishen Nix over Josh Christopher, they should consider trading Christopher instead. The team should also consider trading Mathews and Nix to create more playing time for TyTy Washington Jr.
Furthermore, the Rockets should evaluate the market for players like Jae'Sean Tate or Kenyon Martin Jr. Neither already seem expendable with the emergence of Tari Eason and the number of players on the frontline. Finally, the Rockets should consider freeing Usman Garuba from limited playing time. There are so many players they can wheel and deal in exchange for more draft assets.
As such, we expect the Rockets to be active at the trade deadline. Of course, Gordon is top-of-mind when it comes to those Houston should shop around. Remember that he has a non-guaranteed $20.9 million salary for next season. Teams like the Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, and Washington Wizards could be potential destinations for someone like him.
Meanwhile, big man Boban Marjanovic is the only other player on the roster who is not on his first contract. Houston could treat him as a logical buyout candidate if he is not traded. Marjanovic has a salary of $3.5 million. The Rockets could also receive positive value in return for either Tate or Martin.
Ideally, we see the Rockets making moves that improve the roster for seasons to come. At the same time, we also see them positioning themselves for a high pick in the upcoming draft. Take note that the Rockets have extra draft picks they could trade, including two owed by the Nets and one by the Milwaukee Bucks. Remember that this year's draft is expected to be highly competitive. As such, it only makes sense for rebuilding teams to take steps in increasing their chances of securing a high pick. That would be the dream scenario for Houston. It would be great for them to unload Gordon and a couple of other redundancies for more draft assets.
In other words, the Rockets should continue leaning into the asset-accumulation stage of their rebuild. Of course, Houston could look elsewhere for inexpensive, youthful players in addition to draft assets. The New Orleans Pelicans' Jaxson Hayes could be a viable target in this case.
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