Bruno Caboclo Ready For Role as Rockets' Small-Ball Center

The Rockets acquired the 6'9" forward from Memphis before the trade deadline on Feb. 6.

Bruno Caboclo doesn't quite fit the mold of a center by height, but he certainly does by wingspan. 

The Rockets' latest addition spoke with the media at the Toyota Center on Sunday, and he practiced with the Rockets on Monday afternoon. Caboclo is 24-years-old, and he's logged just 8.7 minutes per game in 2019-20. But the 6'9" forward with a 7'7" wingspan certainly has the frame to be a valuable member of the Rockets' rotation. Caboclo believes he has the skill, too.

"I’m very long, so I can help on defense,” Caboclo said before Houston's loss to the Jazz on Sunday. "And offense, too. I can help open the court with speed.” 

Houston dove headfirst into its small-ball experiment on Feb. 4, shipping center Clint Capela in order to receive forward Robert Covington in a four-team deal. The trade left the Rockets without a traditional center in their rotation (Isaiah Hartenstein and Tyson Chandler play sparingly), leaving 6'5" forward P.J. Tucker to log significant time at the five. Enter Caboclo. The former Grizzlies and Raptors forward could play a similar role to Thabo Sefolosha at center, manning the rim while staying active in passing lanes. Caboclo should be a welcome addition to the Rockets' transition defense–which ranks No. 26 in the NBA–and an effective weakside deterrent with his length. As Houston cedes the rebounding battle on most nights, Caboclo's turnover generation could be impactful. 

The Rockets are still slight in the interior despite the additions of Caboclo and Covington before the trade deadline. Covington is better suited as an elite switcher on the perimeter, and Caboclo is far closer to Gumby than the brick wall that is P.J. Tucker. Many questioned the Rockets' chances against elite Western Conference bigs after the Capela trade, and Houston received early tests in two of its last three games. Anthony Davis feasted with 32 points and 13 rebounds on Feb. 6, but the Rockets sprinted to a 121-111 victory. Rudy Gobert was largely ineffective in Utah's buzzer-beater win on Sunday, and Russell Westbrook thrived without a center in the lineup. 

Perhaps a seven-game series will grind the Rockets down. But Houston will welcome forays into the block from opposing bigs, goading them into a post-up attempt. Houston's evolution into small-ball is a natural progression of Harden era on both ends of the floor. Caboclo fits the mold of a modern Rockets' frontcourt player. 

Caboclo's role is simple on the offensive end. He'll largely be positioned as a stationary shooter, likely in the opposite corner of P.J. Tucker or Covington. The 2014 first rounder is still a bit raw from three, but the stroke of a passable shooter is present. There's no hitch in Caboclo's shot, no easy ask for a player of his length. He hit 36.9% of attempts last season on 3.8 attempts per game. The Rockets would be thrilled with that percentage on potentially increased volume. Caboclo is also capable off the bounce, and he could be an effective trap buster if opponents double-team James Harden. With arms that long, it doesn't take much time for Caboclo to get to the rim.

"When I watch the games, I just keep watching the bigs who play my position," Caboclo said on Sunday. "How they score, how they get their points, how they screen, and stuff like that. And I bring it to my game."

Caboclo won't return to the floor until after the All-Star break as he recovers from a knee injury, but it shouldn't be long before he takes the floor in Houston. Expectations should be kept in check. Caboclo has played just 91 games in six seasons, and he remains more of a supplemental piece than a magical elixir. Still, for a team still short of rotation players, Caboclo could be a welcome addition. His physical gifts are evident, and he's a clear stylistic fit with the new-look Rockets. Caboclo is one of Houston's most intriguing players for the final stretch of 2019-20.