The Houston Rockets are off to their best start since their franchise record-setting 2017-18 season. That season, of course, featured Chris Paul and the Rockets’ second-best player in franchise history, James Harden. The Rockets won a franchise-best 65 games that season, and it was also the last time they made the Western Conference Finals.
The Rockets have gone through a complete overhaul since then and were hoping they could get back to that level or beyond with the hiring of Ime Udoka in 2023.
The Rockets have made progress, going from a rebuilding lottery team after Harden was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in 2021 to a playoff team the last two seasons.
Unfortunately for the Rockets, they have plateaued over the last two seasons, bowing out in the first round in both seasons. There were legitimate reasons for that, as the Rockets made the playoffs for the first time in four seasons in 2024, and last season they were without not only Fred VanVleet, who was out all season, but also Kevin Durant, who missed all but one playoff game.
Heading into this season, the Rockets plan to have a full roster for the first time in the Kevin Durant era. VanVleet was ready to start the season, along with Steven Adams, who missed the last four months with a lower-body injury. Those plans lasted one game into the regular season, as Adams went on the injury report with a right soleus (calf) injury. Udoka stated that Adams is not day-to-day but week-to-week.
Clint Capela is the Rockets’ third-string center and filled in for Adams last season after he went down in January, and he filled that role again at the start of this season. Capela is now a two-time Rocket who started his career with the team and played during the Harden era; he had some good games filling in for Adams this season, but the 32-year-old is now also out with an ankle injury.
Even after their loss Wednesday night to the shorthanded Minnesota Timberwolves, the Rockets are still 7-2 and are one of the early favorites to go deep into the playoffs. They have their most versatile team since that 2017-18 team and improved their bench this past offseason. However, the backup center position is the one position the Rockets may need to improve before the trade deadline, and with their assets, they are in a great position to do so.
The Rockets may need to upgrade their backup center position
First off, Adams, when healthy, is one of the best, if not the best, backup centers in the NBA. Since he arrived in Houston, he has catapulted them into the league’s best rebounding team every season he’s been on the roster. When Adams went out with his injury in January of last season, the Rockets’ rebounding dropped noticeably for the rest of the season.
The issue is that Adams’ availability isn’t guaranteed, as he missed several months last season and has played only one game this season. Even before coming to the Rockets, Adams missed the entire 2023-24 season, including the second half with the Rockets after being traded before the deadline.
As mentioned earlier, Capela is a serviceable third center, but he is entering his 14th season and is no longer the lob threat he once was. The Rockets do have another center, Oscar Tshiebwe, who has been good in limited minutes but doesn’t offer what the Rockets lack: an athletic lob threat at center.
The Rockets have the most assets in the 2027 draft, as they can swap picks with the Nets and also have the Phoenix Suns’ first-round pick. Both teams are off to slow starts this season: the Suns are 1-5, and the Nets are 2-6. One quick note: in past seasons, teams that finished in the bottom three in wins had the best odds at a top pick; that is not the case now, as finishing with the worst record gives you only two ping-pong balls, and finishing 4-10 actually gives you better odds.
The Rockets having those two picks is a big deal, and they may use them as part of a bigger trade, but if they continue their current trajectory, they may feel they dont have to swing for the fences and may go for a smaller move, like upgrading their backup center.
As mentioned earlier, the Rockets need a center who is reliable and, more importantly, can run the floor, block shots, and play above the rim or, at the very least, stretch the court. The best move is to hold onto Adams, since he is still the best backup big when he is on the court, and bringing in another center can help the Rockets slowly bring him back.
Some realistic names to consider, even though each comes with its own drawbacks.
- Robert Willams
- Jalen Smith
- Dary’Ron Sharpe
A Quick Synopsis of Each Player’s Pros and Cons
Robert Williams has long been on the trade block. The 6’9 “center is one of the most athletic centers in the league. He would provide the Rockets with a rim-running big who can play above the rim. However, he also suffers from the same injury issues as Adams.
Williams has played only 85 games in the previous three seasons and is the most expensive player on this list at $14 million a year. That would mean you’d likely have to trade Adams, and the best-case scenario would be if you can hold on to him, as he can still have a positive impact, especially in the playoffs.
Jalen Smith, who currently plays for the Chicago Bulls, is more of a stretch big and a good shot blocker. Smith tied his career-high from the 3-point range, shooting .373. The Rockets haven’t had a center who can stretch the floor in a long time, and Smith could provide exactly that off the bench. Smith is also only making nine millon a season, which is a more manageable trade contract.
The drawback is that Smith is in the last year of his contract. Which means he could walk after this season, especially if he is looking for a starting role next season, which he wouldn’t have in Houston.
Day’Ron Sharpe is another center who could be on the trade block as the Nets continue to rebuild. Sharpe is the youngest of the three. Sharpe is an offensive rebounding machine who can run the floor and has increased his outside shooting. Sharpe would give the Rockets a young, mobile backup center they haven’t had in many years. Sharpe contract is also manageable at only 10 millon a season for the next two seasons.
Sharpe doesn’t provide Smith’s outside shooting, but he can crash the boards with the best in the NBA and gives you a version of Adams when he is on the court. He’s also under contract for two seasons instead of one like Smith.
As mentioned above, the Rockets may hold onto the picks and see what happens next offseason, or use them for a blockbuster move before the deadline. If they do decide to go one of those routes, backup center is still a position they should look to upgrade this season.
