If the Houston Rockets strike a deal prior to the 2018 NBA trade deadline, you can bet your bottom dollar that one of these players will be involved.
This offseason, the Houston Rockets underwent a drastic transformation to assert themselves as a serious contender for the Western Conference crown. While they’re still a notch or two below the Golden State Warriors, they’ll certainly demand respect in 2017-18.
However, if they truly plan on giving the Warriors a run for their money, the Rockets will likely need to make a trade at some point this season. One way or another, they must add that final piece to the puzzle. Whether that’s someone such as Carmelo Anthony or another star has yet to be determined though.
Either way, it’s going to require the Rockets to part with a few pieces of their own. That’s why we’re here today — to pinpoint current Houston players most likely to be traded prior to the 2018 NBA trade deadline on Feb. 8.
The Rockets made it clear this offseason they’re willing to do whatever it takes to win now. If that means trading away one of their key role players and draft compensation to secure another star, then so be it. Put simply, general manager Daryl Morey is tired of playing games — he’s ready to contend.
Related Story: Predicting Rockets' 2017-18 lineup with Carmelo
With that in mind, here are the three (or four) Rockets players most likely to be wearing different jerseys in 2017-18. They could be components of a potential trade for Carmelo, or another game-changing deal altogether.
All contract information courtesy of Spotrac.com.