Why This Trade Makes Sense For The Houston Rockets

As soon as the Houston Rockets trade James Harden, they are in no position to contend for a championship in the Western Conference. John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins can help ease the pain of the rebuild in Houston, but at the end of the day, without Harden, this team is virtually nothing. 

As a result, why keep PJ Tucker on an expiring contract when you can leverage him and get some young talent, as well as future talent? Once Harden is traded, expect to see PJ Tucker on the move and the Lakers could end up being a prime destination for him. 

What the Rockets get out of this trade is actually quite valuable as Kyle Kuzma seems to get a lot of unnecessary hate from NBA fans on social media. Kuzma is a really solid young player and still has plenty of room to grow. While he would probably rather be a part of a championship caliber team, Kuzma could see his career take off, no pun intended, with the Rockets. 

Kyle Kuzma and Alex Caruso are two key role players the Rockets could utilize in their efforts to speed up their rebuild, but the first-round pick they receive is vital. Much like the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Houston Rockets need to try and gain as much draft capital as they possibly can to speed up their rebuild, which is why the first-round pick they would receive in this trade is so valuable. 

At this point, the Houston Rockets need to realize that they have no shot at keeping this team as a playoff contender and as a result, need to do everything they can to gain assets now to build for the future. Tucker is turning 36 years old this season and with him in the back-half of his career, they might as well try and get a first-round pick for him seeing as they no longer have any chance to win a title.