Brian Windhorst: Rockets Looking to Trade for Defensive Upgrade
While the Houston Rockets are the expected destination for 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony, per the New York Times' Marc Stein, they are also reportedly looking for help on the defensive end.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst (h/t digital journalist Ben DuBose) reported Houston is exploring all of its options: "They are active in the trade market. ... It wouldn't surprise me if they make a move for a defensive player or two before training camp."
While the Rockets re-signed Chris Paul and Clint Capela, they lost a couple of key defenders in free agency this offseason. Trevor Ariza joined the Phoenix Suns, and Luc Mbah a Moute signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.
As a result, the team that ranked sixth in the NBA last season with a 103.8 defensive rating could regress.
Anthony might give Mike D'Antoni's squad another dynamic offensive option, but considering Houston ranked second only to the Golden State Warriors in scoring (112.4 points per game), bringing in strong defenders should be more of a priority for the franchise. In addition, Anthony's never been known as a shutdown defender.
Given Paul and James Harden are on max contracts, Capela got a five-year, $90 million deal and Ryan Anderson is due $20 million-plus in each of the next two seasons, the Rockets' payroll is at $136 million, according to ESPN.com. That puts them firmly past the luxury-tax threshold, meaning they can't spend much on free agents.
Houston still has a couple of months to address its defense before the season tips off. Per Windhorst, it shouldn't come as a surprise if it can do so via trade.
