Houston Rockets: 5 takeaways from the 2018-19 NBA season

2. The team may have been a blockbuster deal away from a championship

Following the heartbreaking loss to Golden State, front office executives have to wonder if not pulling the trigger on a massive trade during the season might have affected the scope of the season. The trade deadline didn’t present many options for Houston to capitalize on, but the big piece that they missed out on might have been Jimmy Butler.

Butler shocked Minnesota Timberwolves ownership early in the season when, in October, he demanded a trade from the team. Houston, according to ESPN‘s Malika Andrews, jumped on a chance to acquire the gritty wing player, offering four first round draft picks … but couldn’t reach a deal with the Wolves.

That led to the Philadelphia 76ers acquiring him, and his contributions almost brought “The Process” to the Eastern Conference Finals. But, per Andrews’ reporting, the Rockets’ hefty offer for Butler would’ve been accepted by Minnesota if they’d simply included either P.J. Tucker or Eric Gordon in the deal.

At the time, those pieces of this Rockets team seemed too valuable to sacrifice, which explains the team’s decision to hold back. Retroactively looking at this missed opportunity, the cost of one of those players along with those picks doesn’t seem as steep. Butler’s intense, barking attitude during games might’ve been what Houston needed to get past Golden State, and perhaps finish better than fourth in the conference.

It’s easy to think Butler wouldn’t have let this Rockets team come out for any playoff game looking lackadaisical, but one thing we’re not sure of is how his personality would’ve meshed with Harden and Paul’s. One thing is certain though: His talent and effort on the floor still make him seem like the piece the Rockets were lacking in Games 5 and 6.