The Houston Rockets will go as far as James Harden takes them. It's been that way for the past 4-5 years and it won't change anytime soon. Last season, the Rockets made a bold move with the trade for Chris Paul. By signing Paul, the Rockets felt they had a great chance to knock off the Golden State Warriors. And for five games, they were right on track during the Western Conference Finals. Then it all fell apart.
While Harden and crew watched the Warriors hoist another trophy, they went into the offseason with a plan to reverse their fortunes. Paul and Clint Capela signed new deals. In came Carmelo Anthony and the Rockets figured they had the recipe to do what no one in the West has done for four years.
Well, the Carmelo deal was a bust. Capela and Paul have dealt with injuries and the Rockets, despite turning their season around, is not strong enough to overtake the Warriors. Help is needed but who can they count on?
With Capela back in the paint and Paul running point, the Rockets are still a little thin up front. The issue the Rockets will face against the Warriors is rebounding. They will no longer have to worry about a JaVale McGee or Zaza Pachulia. Now, Capela will have to deal with DeMarcus Cousins.
The Rockets are ranked 28th in rebounding and adding anything other than a PF who wants to operate solely in the paint, is useless. As good as they are, the Rockets can be better. There is no need for Daryl Morey to let the trade deadline pass and he makes no changes to his roster.
The Houston Rockets just got a huge steal with the addition of Kenneth Faried. While he can provide the Rockets with energy and rebounding, is he enough to fend off Draymond Green or Anthony Davis? If Morey believes that Faried is the answer next to Capela then it's time he focuses on the SF position.
The Rockets are a dangerous team when they're hot. If their perimeter shots are falling, they're almost unstoppable to beat. However, if defenses clamp down, the Rockets could find themselves in a world of trouble. On the season, the team averages 44.4 three-pointers per game while shooting .350 percent. On the other side of the arc, the Rockets are averaging 41.8 two-point attempts per game while hitting .547 percent.
This is a team who lives and dies from the beyond the arc. It's entertaining for the regular season but when teams have 4-7 games to prepare for you during the playoffs, it's a risk the Rockets have lost each season. By adding a SF who can penetrate and get to the basket this will allow the Rockets more opportunities below the three-point line. This will draw the opposition's big men out of the paint and increase chances for Capela and Faried to operate down low.
But who can the Rockets make a play for?
To be fair, Carmelo would have been the perfect fit. His time in Houston was not a total disaster. In the 10 games that he played, Anthony averaged 13.4 points and 5.4 rebounds while shooting .405 from the floor. But somewhere along the way, it went wrong. Now the Rockets need help.
There are still other options out there the Rockets can lean on. One of the names being tossed around on the trade front is DeMarre Carroll of the Brooklyn Nets. Carroll will be a free agent in 2019 and this should be a move for Morey to consider. On the year, Carroll is averaging 11.0 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting .392 percent from the floor.
Carroll can create his own shot and paired with a veteran duo like Harden and Paul, Carroll will have plenty of open opportunities. Not forgetting to mention, he's also a better defender and rebounder than Carmelo. The time is now for the Houston Rockets to make a move. It's nice to see Harden scoring 35 points per game but what happens when his motor needs a break?
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