With the Trade Deadline Looming, There Are Contract Limitations for the Rockets

The Houston Rockets, like the other 29 teams, are gearing up for the NBA trade deadline, which is right around the corner. The trade deadline previously occurred after the All-Star game, but after an awkward situation in which big man DeMarcus Cousins learned of his trade at the All-Star game, it was moved to before the All-Star break.

The trade deadline is at 2 PM on February 5th, which means teams have over a day to try and improve their teams before moving to the buyout market. Rockets general manager Rafael Stone has usually kept a low profile at the trade deadline, making only smaller moves while waiting for the offseason for better trade opportunities.

With the Rockets currently sitting at 31-17, only a game and a half behind the second-place San Antonio Spurs, and by all reports, they will again not be major players at the NBA trade deadline.

There are multiple reasons for that, from the front office feeling they have enough on the current roster to make a championship run to, more importantly, cap restraints.

The Rockets Have Several Limitations When It Comes to Making a Significant Trade.

There have already been a couple of major trades in the last few days. Jared Jackson Jr. was traded to the Utah Jazz, and on Tuesday, James Harden was traded yet again, this time to Cleveland for point guard Darius Garland.

The other potential significant trade could be Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is rumored to be ready to move on from the Milwaukee Bucks. The Rockets are often mentioned in any significant trade just because of their status as one of the top teams. Still, a considerable move is unlikely given their current cap situation.

The Rockets are right up against the 1st tax apron, and if a team goes into the tax, it has a significant impact on a team's financial bottom line. The Rockets also have only three players making over 12 millon dollars a year, and one is Fred VanVleet, who is not only potentially out for the season but also has an implied no-trade clause.

An implied no-trade clause means that VanVleet can veto any trade because he has to waive his bird rights to make a trade happen. He essentially has final say on any trade and has made it a point to say how much he loves being in Houston.

That leaves Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun as the other two players making over 12 millon and the Rockets are not trading either of those players. That means the Rockets would have to look to make a smaller move, and even that would not be easy.

The Rockets have a few players making between 10-13 millon dollars, but Dorian Finney-Smith, who makes 12 millon is still recovering from offseason surgery. Jabari Smith's new contract kicks in next season, so he has a poison pill deal.

That means any team trading for him would actually take on over 22 millon dollars instead of Smith's current contract. Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard make around ten millon but the Rockets are not looking to move either player, especially not Thompson, who is on his way to being a star-level player.

Steven Adams is another option, but he is out for the rest of the season. Tari Eason's five-year, $50 million contract makes him a desirable target for other teams. Still, it would limit the players the Rockets could get back in a trade because the Rockets have to match salaries, and it wouldn't be equal value for them.

All the above limitations make it difficult for the Rockets to make any significant trade. That is why it is more likely the Rockets will wait for the buyout market to make any roster additions.

The Rockets are back in action on Wednesday as they welcome the Boston Celtics to the Toyota Center.