Houston Rockets' Biggest Needs With the NBA Trade Deadline Two Weeks Away

No team is perfect, especially not this season. The Oklahoma City Thunder have been exposed a number of times already, which puts the league hierarchy into perspective: there is still plenty of parity right now. The Houston Rockets, a team once regarded as one to contend with the Thunder, have suffered shortcomings as of late.

With the trade deadline just over two weeks away, the Rockets have some clear needs. They can't address everything before Feb. 5, but some noticeable weaknesses could be fixed with the right move. Houston is reportedly willing to move draft capital for the right price and has spoken to half of the league, per Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports.

So what moves make sense? First, Houston has to recognize what holes lie within the rotation. There are two that stand out:

True Point Guard

The lack of a true point guard is the most obvious need. Fred VanVleet, who tore his ACL in September, has left the Rockets without a true facilitator on offense, resulting in a turnover problem. They rank 29th in turnover percentage and 26th in turnovers per game.

Not having VanVleet initiate offense has resulted in perimeter players and even big man Alperen Sengun having to bring the ball up the floor. Opponents can easily throw sets out of sorts with on-ball pressure, forcing stars like Kevin Durant and Amen Thompson away from their sweet spots.

Acquiring a point guard at the deadline would help fix this issue. Houston doesn't need a star at the one, but a veteran who doesn't have a major appetite for scoring would be perfect. VanVleet had the perfect mix of playmaking, defense and shooting, which could be replicated.

Shooting Depth

On the surface, there isn't a desperate need for shooting when analyzing the roster. Durant, Tari Eason and Reed Sheppard are all great from beyond the arc, and the Rockets rank sixth in three-point percentage. However, context is needed.

Houston started the season as one of the two best three-point scoring teams, alongside the Denver Nuggets. Over the last month or so, that has slipped. The team is no longer knocking down shots at a high rate, but it isn't taking a whole lot either, showing a cool-down.

The Rockets attempt just 30.8 threes per game, good for 29th in the league. Durant has brought a new dimension of offense to the team, but they still aren't fully maximizing the potential with a lack of volume shooting.

This isn't as much of a need as is the point guard position, but for the right pieces, a 3&D veteran would be ideal. Even just acquiring a pure shooter would help, expanding Houston's offense and creating a great balance between that and slashers.