What the Rockets Actually Need at the Trade Deadline, and What They Don't

The Houston Rockets have positioned themselves well to make moves at the NBA’s Feb. 5 trade deadline.

While they’ve underperformed relative to expectations through the first half of the season, they’re still one of the more asset-rich teams in the league, giving themselves flexibility in terms of moves. Rockets on SI's recent trade deadline primer details exactly that, going in-depth on both players and draft picks that could be used to Houston's advantage.

And they'll have multiple pathways through the coming weeks.

The first option would be to simply sit and wait for the team to be healthy. While this requires real patience, seeing as starting guard Fred VanVleet and center Steven Adams aren’t likely to return until next season, it could still be the best course of action.

The other would be to make moves, strengthening the roster in the wake of VanVleet and Adams’ injuries, which has left holes in the team’s rotation.

The offense has sputtered, at times, without a lead handler and play-maker. A player capable of setting and quarterbacking offense. Houston had also previously been the best rebounding team in the league, an area that’s certain to take a hit with Adams now out after season-ending ankle surgery.

The Rockets need to continue to operate with the leverage that they have. As one of the top teams in the West, with the potential to become a contender with players added back, they still hold most of the cards in negotiations.

What they don’t need to do is panic buy. Grab players and rearrange pieces purely due to injuries, which all 29 other teams in the association are dealing with, thus giving up potentially needed assets or losing value in the process.

While the Rockets’ injuries are longer-term than most, the front office should still be able to take solace in the eventual return of VanVleet, and the fact he’s the perfect fit alongside Alperen Sengun, Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson and more.

If they can make moves around the fringes, bolstering the guard or big rotation with cost-effective deals, then they should do so. But pushing chips in with two great fits lying in wait likely isn't the best course of action at this point.

Coby White has been a popular theoretical target, offering scoring and play-making. Though even options like Dennis Schroder, Tre Jones, Jose Alvarado and more could work in the interim. In terms of bigs, there's several available options, though several could be coveted by other squads.

The NBA's trade deadline will conclude at 2 p.m. CT on Thursday, Feb. 5. The Rockets have traditionally been an aggressive team, looking to upgrade where they can.