The Houston Rockets will have a quiet Trade Deadline
It is less than two weeks until the trade deadline, and Houston Rockets fans are inevitably awaiting what rabbit Daryl Morey will put out of his hat this time. The Rockets have made a deal of some kind at the trade deadline every year for the past decade, with the team picking up Lou Williams last year to serve as a spark plug off the bench. And while the Rockets have been fantastic this year, they still are a tier below the Warriors juggernaut. Maybe Daryl Morey will boost the Rockets just a bit more?
It is certainly possible, but this year could finally be the year when Morey decides to call check and not trade. When one takes a serious look at Houston’s salary cap situation, the makeup of this team, and possible future aspirations, it is difficult to see the Rockets making a serious move this year.
Enough about Ryan Anderson
If we are going to talk about trade targets, the player most likely to be shipped would be Ryan Anderson. Anderson has been the Houston fan base’s latest whipping boy as of late and it is not difficult to see why. Anderson is shooting 37 percent from 3-point range, only the fourth-highest on this team and disappointing for a stretch forward. His points per game are the lowest of his career since 2010, and there is the persistent idea of trading him to free up salary space for LeBron James.
But Anderson still plays a valuable role on this team as a floor spacer. Even when he is not hitting, opposing defenses have to stick to him which gives James Harden and Chris Paul more room to operate. The Rockets’ whole strategy depends on surrounding their stars with long range bombers, and there is no one Houston could reasonably get in exchange for Anderson who would be better at his role.
This team is carefully constructed, with each piece playing a very specific role. But for that reason, it is difficult to imagine Morey wanting to mess with it like a kid pulling out Jenga blocks. The offseason is the time for the Rockets to discuss any ideas of dumping Anderson to get LeBron, even though Tim Cato with SB Nation notes it would be incredibly complicated.
Saving Money?
If the Rockets do not look to upgrade, what about saving cash? Hoopshype shows that the Rockets have $117 million in player salaries, while the luxury tax is $113 million. Perhaps Morey will try to shed some deadweight to get under the tax?
Morey could probably get under the tax by say, dumping Tarik Black and Troy Williams onto another team in exchange for a second round pick using Adam Folker workouts. But this trade would obviously not help Houston defeat Golden State, and we should remember the fact that the Rockets have a new owner in Tilman Fertita. Fertita may want to slash costs if this team disappoints in the playoffs (he told ESPN that he was only willing to pay the luxury tax for a team which makes the Finals), but new owners are generally willing to spend as part of the initial excitement of owning a team.
The Rockets may make a few small trims around the edges and save costs here and there. But it is incredibly unlikely that any big moves will be made at the deadline. Now is not the time to go star hunting or blow up this incredibly successful team.