It’s been a slow start to the season for the Houston Rockets and, while expected, that should still be addressed. The roster is full of young talent that, for the most part, gets a ton of playing time and gets to showcase what the future holds. However, there are still players on the roster that don’t fit the team’s timeline, haven’t performed up to expectations, or have already requested a trade out of Houston.
The Houston Rockets are rebuilding but still have several valuable trade pieces; these 3 players are the most likely to be traded.
Have to give Eric Gordon an honorable mention here as he’s turned it up to another level so far through the first couple of games and he might get sent away because of how much he’s boosted his trade value with how well he’s been playing. Through the first three games of the season, he averaged 13 points, two rebounds and an assist per game while shooting 50 percent from the field and 53.8 percent from three while attempting around nine shots per game, four of which are from behind the arc.
Outside of EG, these Rockets are the surefire favorites to be traded away during the season. They won’t happen right away but it’s likely that only one of these guys makes it all the way to the deadline. With Rafael Stone now the general manager of the team, we haven’t seen him make a move in which his hand wasn’t forced like in the James Harden debacle. This season is unlike any the Rockets have seen in quite a while. The team is no longer anywhere near contention so the team is free of the burden of expectations, now they can just go out and play.
Houston Rockets likely to be traded: 1. Danuel House Jr.
Danuel House is the second longest-tenured member of the Houston Rockets and it’s starting to look like his time in Houston should end. House is in his fourth season with the Rockets and has seen the least amount of action on the court since his arrival. Through the first three games, House only appeared in two of them off the bench and has been a non-factor offensively aside from the pair of free throws he’s made.
The Rockets have all but written him out of the rotation and he’s taking valuable bench wing minutes away from Kenyon Martin Jr., who has been significantly more productive than House in about half of the minutes. House fit well in the D’Antoni offense alongside Harden but those times have come and gone and he sticks out like a sore thumb.
He’s 28 years old so he definitely doesn’t fit the Rockets timeline and it’s obvious he’s starting to regress into a bench role as he’s no longer a viable starting player even if it’s just for short stretches of the season. He should be sent to a team that could actually use him as an end of the bench rotational piece who could help them reach a championship.
House is on an expiring contract which can be considered a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing for the team that trades for him because if he performs poorly, he just hits the free agency market. It’s a curse for the Rockets because they likely won’t be able to get much in return for him, but either way, it’s worth a shot.
Houston Rockets likely to be traded: 2. John Wall
This is the most obvious one because John Wall has already asked the Houston Rockets for a trade and has been sitting out while a deal gets done. The most surprising thing is that he didn’t ask out after James Harden abandoned the team in 2020.
Wall was brought in solely to be the running mate to Harden in a last-ditch effort at a championship run. The stars had aligned and the Rockets finally had a point guard that complemented Harden’s skillset. That was until Harden quit on the team and forced his way out not even ten games into the season, which also caused the recently acquired DeMarcus Cousins to leave. Wall’s commitment to the team in 2020 was admirable even when facing injuries, but understandably, he doesn’t want to stick around on a rebuilding team with no shot of contention.
After all the injuries he’s suffered in his career, it’ll be good to see Wall play for a legitimate contender in a chance to get a ring before retirement. Before the injuries, he was one of the top point guards in the NBA and has shown flashes of that talent returning in Houston. If Rafael Stone can find a suitable trade partner, Wall could be gone sooner rather than later.
If it doesn’t happen within the coming weeks, it’ll likely happen at the All-Star break or at the trade deadline. The return won’t be much for the Rockets but they’ll be able to get that massive contract off the books.
Houston Rockets likely to be traded: 3. D.J. Augustin
D.J. Augustin is the player that fans should be the least confident in a trade out of the three mentioned. He’s almost 35 years old and is seemingly just on the team so they have a true “point guard” which isn’t needed in today’s NBA as the league is transitioning towards positionless basketball.
The only thing Augustin really brings to the team is veteran leadership which is valuable for such a young team but not necessarily worth the $7 million price tag that he holds. He’s still got another season left on his contract and there’s no reason for him to be on the team other than to collect a paycheck.
While still on the roster, he’s taking away valuable minutes from the Rockets’ last first-round pick, Josh Christopher. He may not fill the traditional point guard mold but as we saw from him in high school and at Arizona State, he’s more than capable. Christopher lit it up in the Summer League and in the preseason, earning him the spot on the roster.
The fact that there’s still time left on his contract makes him a favorite to get traded. Augustin has become a fan favorite in Houston as he grew up outside the city and played his high school ball in Missouri City, Texas. The University of Texas journeyman has made a name for himself as a quality option but at this point in his career, there isn’t much he can offer to the Houston Rockets.