PJ Tucker – Houston Rockets
Since trading away James Harden, the Houston Rockets are 7-3 and are currently on a six game win streak. This team is finally playing together and with guys like Victor Oladipo, Christian Wood and John Wall all playing at a high-level, it is not crazy to think Houston could sneak into the playoffs right now.
The one question this team has though is if they are going to look to trade either of their veteran talents in Eric Gordon and/or PJ Tucker. Both guys have a high-demand on the trade market right now, especially the veteran Tucker.
Tucker is turning 36 years old this season and with him in the back-half of his career in the final year of his contract, it makes perfect sense for the Rockets to trade him and for the Blazers to look to acquire him.
As mentioned earlier, the Portland Trail Blazers are one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA and have struggled with depth in their frontcourt, especially with both Zach Collins and Jusef Nurkic out with injuries. If this team is going to be a legit threat to make the NBA Finals, they will need to look to add depth in their frontcourt, which is exactly why PJ Tucker should be high on their list of potential trade targets.
He is not only a knockdown three-point shooter from the corner, but PJ Tucker does all of the little things for his team that do not necessarily show up in the stat sheets. Whether it is hustle plays or making the extra pass to lead to a wide open shot for his teammates, PJ Tucker is a great team player and plays with a “chip on his shoulder” on the court.
While he can be a “hot-head” at times, Tucker would be a perfect addition next to Lillard and McCollum given the passion he plays with. Damian Lillard himself is a very passionate player and with a teammate that wants to win the game at all costs just as much as him, this Trail Blazers team could turn into one of the more physical and gritty teams in the NBA.
Houston should be willing to trade PJ Tucker in exchange for a first-round pick or three second-round picks, which is exactly why Portland should do everything they can to land the veteran big man.
