After unloading the only legitimate center they have on the roster, the Houston Rockets must now fill the gaping hole they have in the middle.
The Rockets traded away their 6-foot-10 center Clint Capela to the Atlanta Hawks in a massive four-team deal also involving the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday. In return, they acquired the services of sought-after swingman Robert Covington and Jordan Bell from the Wolves.
Sources: Jordan Bell is also headed to Houston, as first reported by @Jonathan_Feigen. Rockets will continue being aggressive in search for a center, either via trade or in buyout market. https://t.co/tXi8h8x4ab
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) February 5, 2020
According to a follow-up tweet by ESPN's Tim MacMahon, Houston will now set its sights on making another deal for a center who can match up with the giants of the Western Conference. They only have two days to so, with the trade deadline set to end on Thursday,
To be clear, the Rockets aren't searching for a starting center. They're playing small-ball and rolling with PJ Tucker at the 5. But they need a big to throw at Nikola Jokic, Anthony Davis, etc. in the playoffs. https://t.co/y6d8l9HnWG
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) February 5, 2020
It's no secret that the Rockets prefer playing small ball, in a bid to have all five players be a threat from downtown. Houston recently made history by becoming the only team since 1963 to play an entire game without a player taller than 6-foot-6.
The team is sticking with P.J. Tucker holding the interior. his may prove to be effective against low-tier teams, but Houston will definitely face some problems when they have to face other teams' seven-foot behemoths in a best-of-seven affair come playoff time.
The Rockets now have an average projected starting line-up of only 6-foot-4, with the newly-acquired Covington being the tallest one at 6-foot-7. The tallest player they have is veteran Tyson Chandler, who stands at seven feet. Chandler, however, has only appeared in 25 games this year with poor averages of 1.4 points and 2.6 rebounds.
Houston is in the midst of a three-game winning streak and is currently fifth in the West with a 32-18 slate.
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