Rockets Could Reportedly Pursue Former Defensive Player of the Year via Trade

Ime Udoka would certainly love to have the opportunity.

Apr 12, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka talks to assistant coaches before the start of a game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports / Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

The 2023-24 Houston Rockets underwent a drastic transformation by prioritizing their effort and commitment on the defensive end of the floor. The Rockets had the ninth-best defense in the league, which was leaps and bounds better than their 29th-place finish in defensive efficiency just one year earlier.

This should be no surprise, as Ime Udoka has a knack for getting his players to anchor down on defense. Udoka has gone so far as to bench players if he believed that weren't giving full effort on defense and in some cases simply didn't play others who he deemed incapable of providing any semblance of defense.

Udoka's defensive prioritization prompted the Rockets to add Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks in 2023 and the Rockets may look to continue to add elite, proven defenders around the league, as Kelly Iko of The Athletic suggests the franchise could target Memphis Grizzlies point guard and 2022 Defensive Player of the Year recipient Marcus Smart.

".....the Grizzlies pose an interesting option. Both general manager Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka are fans of veteran guard Marcus Smart, league sources said. Is there a possibility Memphis could entice Houston by offering Smart in addition to the No. 9 pick and future assets, to move up and grab Clingan if he isn’t already gone?"

The 30-year-old Smart spent the 2021-22 season with Udoka, which was his first season in the big chair and his only season with the Boston Celtics. This past season, Smart averaged career-bests of 14.5 points and 2.1 steals, along with 4.3 assists and 2.7 rebounds. 

The Rockets could find it rather difficult to resist the urge if such a deal is on the table, allowing them to nab their guy in Smart and still own a top-10 draft pick this year. 

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