With the Rockets in the midst of a 13-game losing streak and their playoff chances dwindling, people around the NBA are wondering if general manager Rafael Stone will launch a full-scale rebuild this month in what could be a seller’s market, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.
One rival scout told Fischer that he keeps hearing the Rockets will hold a “fire sale” prior to this year’s deadline, while an assistant general manager predicted that the club will “burn the house down.” Another assistant GM told Bleacher Report that Houston has been starting to call teams about deals.
The Rockets haven’t had a sub-.500 season since 2005/06 and it’s unclear whether team owner Tilman Fertitta would have the patience for a multiyear rebuild. As Fischer explains, Houston still had playoff aspirations when it traded James Harden to Brooklyn in January — the decision to flip Caris LeVert for Victor Oladipo in that blockbuster deal was made in part due to the club’s belief that Oladipo would make more of an impact in the postseason race.
However, the Rockets also have incentive not to try to fight their way back up the standings, as their first-round pick will be swapped with either the Thunder’s or Heat’s pick (whichever is worse) if it doesn’t land in the top four. Even a last-place finish won’t guarantee that the Rockets hang onto their own first-rounder, but the lower they finish, the better their odds are of hanging onto a top pick that could help them secure a long-term franchise cornerstone.
Here’s more on the Rockets:
- Fischer suggests that if the Rockets hang onto Oladipo through the trade deadline, a sign-and-trade deal in the offseason appears to be the most likely outcome. “They’re too smart to just whiff and get nothing off of him,” a Western Conference official said. Still, getting anything of value in a sign-and-trade would hinge on Oladipo wanting to join a team that doesn’t have the cap room available to sign him outright.
- The Sixers are on a long list of potential suitors for P.J. Tucker, according to Fischer, who says the veteran forward would welcome the opportunity to join a 76ers team led by former Rockets GM Daryl Morey. League sources tell Bleacher Report that Houston could’ve gotten a late first-round pick from the Timberwolves in the 2020 draft for Tucker, but the team will be hard-pressed to get that strong a return now, since the 35-year-old has had a down year. “If they had a first for him now, he’d already be gone,” one GM said.
- Fischer adds that there has been a “long-whispered rumor” that the Nets and Rockets could make a swap involving Tucker and Spencer Dinwiddie. According to Fischer, wherever Tucker ends up, he’ll be looking for one last lucrative contract in the offseason, having turned down a two-year extension from the Rockets earlier in the season.
- There’s little expectation that the Rockets will trade Eric Gordon, sources tell Fischer. However, clubs may target some of the team’s other, more affordable wings, including Sterling Brown, Danuel House, Ben McLemore, and Jae’Sean Tate.
I would love to see PJ Tucker get coached by Doc
Rockets question … Is there any real possibility that Justin Patton starts at C with Wood at PF? Patton has looked decent and itd be smart for someone to give him a real chance
No
It really depends on what happens if they trade Tucker, and presumably Oladipo as well, and what players they receive in exchange. It makes sense for them to get a PF with a similar skill set to PJ who would be a bit taller and a better rebounder. So trading Tucker without getting someone to replace him would give them no other choice than to start Patton alongside Wood.
Assume that future first round picks are wives
Some people love others wife.
Rockets trade away their own 4 future first round picks and fall in love with 4 Nets and Bucks picks
Who all will be gone. I would to see Wall stay. VO, Gordon, Tucker, Sterling Brown, could see gone. Kurucs, that Exum since will not play. But who is starters and who is bench
Does Christian Wood regret going to the rockets??? Things have really not gone well for H town at all. I feel for them.
he definitely doesn’t regret it. if he gets hurt in detroit, he’s worried about having a job when he gets back, in houston his spots waiting for him.
No. He got paid and he’ll be a starter. Took the guy years to get a steady contract in the league.
Rockets should trade away everyone for expiring contracts
Keep Wall , franchise player
Trade for John Collins and sign him $130 million
Sign free agents Lonzo For $100 million
Sign free agent Jarrett Allen 120 million
Draft Cade
Starters salary $119 million next season
Starters
Wall
Lonzo
Collins
Allen
Cade
You sure have a lot of ideas.
If Houston loses that top 4 protected pick it’s gonna be a long couple of years before the rockets get back to mediocrity. They have no STAR players and no one is banging on the door to sign there in Houston. Oladipo and Tucker aren’t getting you much back in a trade. Wall has no real value with the contract and injury history. Gordon is 33 later this year. Role players are what they are on Houston, role players. Wood is the only thing going for them but he has less then 30 starts under his belt, such a small sample size but he does look like a good player. Bottom line it looks like the rockets will be in the lottery the next 5 years at least.
And I love every second of it.
I wouldn’t count out Porter yet. I think he has the talent to help the team. I like to see if he can be clutch in key situations. Next month or so, we will see what he is and what he can do. IF he is a rising star, it would be easy to build a team around him and possibly Wood. I like those odds though.
He will be disappointed, as will all of the others out there who abhor the Rockets for whatever reason (most people hate sports teams for their greatness, perhaps out of jealousy). And even though John Wall may have shone brighter in the east, there is a lot more talent in his new conference, where he is still in fact a star player.
We all saw the other up and coming star for Houston, Christian Wood, and how important he is to the team (they’ve lost 13 straight without him). Maybe we will see another star in the making with Porter, who knows? He looked awfully good his rookie season.
Oladipo, PJ, Gordon can bring a nice return. For a team building for the future. Rockets get younger.
“it’s unclear whether team owner Tilman Fertitta would have the patience for a multiyear rebuild.”
Hahahaha. Fertitta is turning the Rockets into NYK-South, minus the cache of being in New York, which is sad for the actual fans.