Rockets Land Top Center in Three-Team Trade Idea

With just one week until the trade deadline, the Houston Rockets must finalize their roster before the stretch run of the regular season.
While it is widely believed that the Rockets will be quiet at the trade deadline, that doesn't mean they will be silent, especially if the right deal works itself out.
The Athletic's Sam Vecenie suggests a three-team trade between the Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers and the Portland Trail Blazers. In the deal, the Rockets would send Jock Landale to Los Angeles and a second-round pick to Portland, the Clippers would send P.J. Tucker to the pacific northwest and the Blazers would have Robert Williams III routed to Houston.
"The ultimate goal of this deal is to reunite Williams with Ime Udoka in Houston," Vecenie writes.
"Udoka’s lone season as head coach in Boston is when Williams made second-team All-Defense and was arguably the best per-minute defender in the NBA. Williams has dealt with injuries since then, including this season. However, when he’s been on the court, his impact remains clear. He’s an awesome screener and does a good job of creating plays for his teammates as a short-roll passer. He can roll all the way to the rim and finish effectively. Defensively, his instincts are still top-notch, and he impacts the game as a ball-screen defender, with the ability to show and recover or play in drop coverage."
The Rockets would add confidence with Williams there instead of Landale, allowing Adams to not play as many minutes during the rest of the regular season to keep himself fresh for the postseason. Williams also gives the Rockets some more insurance in case Adams' health wanes in the next few months.
However, the Rockets could have reservations about acquiring Williams, who has also dealt with his fair share of injuries.
"The biggest factor here is the medicals on Williams. Will the Rockets’ front office clear Williams enough to make this deal? At this price point where they’re only giving up a second-round pick, it feels like the risk is worth it. However, with an extra year on his deal, if the Rockets have concerns, they might not want to make this swap," Vecenie writes.
Williams has been linked to the Rockets ever since Udoka arrived two years ago. If a trade doesn't happen before next week's deadline, it may be something the Rockets revisit in the offseason.
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