The Houston Rockets may find it hard to acquire someone of value, should they decide to make some changes before the NBA’s February 6 trade deadline; they currently sit tied at fifth in the Western Conference, with their 29-18 record putting them 7.5 games behind the Los Angeles Lakers. However, a new report suggests that the team might have the assets to make a deal that could improve their chances of making this year’s NBA Finals — a trade that would allow them to land Washington Wizards forward Davis Bertans.
As explained by Bleacher Report in its list of best-case scenarios for all 30 NBA teams ahead of the trade deadline, four of the Rockets’ key players — superstar guards James Harden and Russell Westbrook, center Clint Capela, and forward P.J. Tucker — are all on lucrative contracts that would make them a hard sell for most rival organizations. As such, the team may need to target a player earning less than $10 million this season, which is why Bertans appears to be the best possible target for Houston at this point in the season.
Quoting a recent edition of Shams Charania’s “Inside Pass” column for The Athletic , Bleacher Report wrote that the Rockets are reportedly making some of their future draft picks available for trade and prioritizing a “potential wing player acquisition” in the lead-up to next week’s deadline. The outlet suggested that Houston could offer one of those picks — a 2020 first-round selection — to Washington in exchange for Bertans while also having enough assets to match his $7.5 million salary.
Davis Bertans can’t miss ?
He went a perfect 6/6 from 3PT in the first half and has 22 PTS. pic.twitter.com/MLFie1RXCs
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) December 6, 2019
While the 6-foot-10-inch Latvian is mainly used as a power forward in Washington, it was pointed out that he has the skills that could benefit the Rockets, as he makes an average of 3.6 three-point shots per game while shooting a strong 42.7 percent from beyond the arc. He is also averaging 15 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game for the Wizards while largely being utilized as a reserve, as shown on his Basketball-Reference player page.
“He’d be an ideal floor-spacer for the Rockets, as he’s making 43.6 percent of his threes off a Bradley Beal pass this season. Imagine what he could do playing alongside Harden and Westbrook,” Bleacher Report ‘s Greg Swartz continued.
Aside from the Rockets, a few other teams have been rumored to be among Bertans’ top suitors in recent weeks. As previously noted by The Inquisitr , the Lakers could also make good use of his accurate and prolific outside shooting, with one report suggesting a deal that would allow Los Angeles to acquire him for a package centered on Kyle Kuzma.