Just because the Houston Rockets *can* make a move doesn’t mean they should. The team’s wish to become a contender and win now is no secret, and they’re willing to make any move necessary to reach that point.
Now, the Rockets are in a unique spot. Their young core rolls about seven players deep with win-now talents like Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks and Steven Adams. They can pair a star with their win-now core and some young talents to build a contender or get rid of win-now talents and lean into youth.
The latter of those two options feels like it won’t be happening in Houston given their urge to win as soon as possible. So, the only true obstacle now is to turn off the blinders and avoid any short-sighted moves that handicap the team long-term.
Whether it’s winning now or rebuilding a young team, patience is a virtue. It’s a key element to any team in any scenario, allowing them to make sound decisions. This is the very reason the Rockets should avoid trading for Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant.
Grant is on the verge of being a star player. He’s averaged right around or more than 20 points per game in each of his last four seasons. However, he received a huge contract last offseason as the Trail Blazers were eager to return Damian Lillard, who was traded from the franchise anyway.
The 30-year-old forward will be receiving hefty paychecks for the next three years. Even if he wasn’t though, Grant isn’t quite to the status of Brandon Ingram, another potential trade target for the Rockets. They’ve also got sights set on superstars like Kevin Durant or Jimmy Butler.
Ingram, Durant and Butler are all needle-movers, and Grant isn’t. If Houston can’t trade for one of the three aforementioned players, they’re better off sitting on their hands for now. A star or superstar forward will come available in due time, and Houston can strike then rather than rushing a decision like trading for Grant, who doesn’t elevate the team to a high enough level.
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