Could the Rockets' Worst Stretch of the Season Force Them to the Trade Market?

The Houston Rockets' season has taken a dark turn over the last month and a half. After a rough stretch through most of December, there was a belief that things were moving in the right direction after they rattled off four straight wins. But Houston has fallen back into a pit of despair as quickly as it dug itself out.

Since Dec. 1, the Rockets have gone a disappointing 9-10, dropping back in multiple statistical categories. In their last 19 games, they've ranked 19th in points per game, 16th in defensive rating and 29th in turnover percentage.

Houston is in the middle of a three-game losing streak after a demoralizing 111-98 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. The team's most recent road trip has been extremely disappointing with a combination of inefficient offense and a lack of consistency on defense.

It seemed that, through the Rockets' first 20 games, the absence of Fred VanVleet wouldn't do too much damage in their quest for a deep postseason run. However, opponents have figured out how to slow them down, even as star forward Kevin Durant has continued to be one of the league's best scorers.

Houston's turnover problem has been evident, and it's a big reason why the team is losing games. What's more is that there's a lack of ball movement, with Ime Udoka and the coaching staff relying on the shot creation of Durant and others instead due to teams applying pressure early in sets.

General manager Rafael Stone's reluctance to make any significant midseason trades has been well-documented, and the Rockets haven't been expected to do so this season. They're hard-capped at the first apron, so any major move would have to include a significant rotation player or a piece of the young core.

However, the Durant trade signaled Houston's transition into title contention. At 37 years old, the organization needs to maximize what could be the final chapter of his career. The Rockets can't afford to linger in the middle of the postseason picture and drop these winnable games, especially against teams outside of the playoff picture.

There's still plenty of time to improve, but these struggles could lead Houston to at least look into the trade market for solutions.

If the Rockets do inquire about a player, it would likely be someone at the point guard position. While Reed Sheppard, Aaron Holiday and Josh Okogie have been impressive in their own respective ways, the ceiling of that guard rotation is extremely limited. The team needs a floor general, and if VanVleet doesn't return from a torn ACL, this trend will only continue.

Keep an eye on Houston ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline. There are a few point guards who may be available over the next few weeks, and for the right price, the Rockets should pull the trigger.