After trading away Robert Covington and Russell Westbrook in the offseason and then trading away NBA superstar James Harden last month, it seemed like the Houston Rockets were destined to be heading for a rebuild, but this team actually still has a lot of talent on their roster. 

John Wall and Victor Oladipo have looked great after returning from significant injuries, Eric Gordon can still play at a high-level and Christian Wood is looking like a front-runner for Most Improved Player. With plenty of big names playing at high-levels and then some key role players in Sterling Brown, Jae’Sean Tate and Danuel House Jr. emerging, the Rockets could be a borderline playoff team this year. 

If you had told me at the beginning of the year that the Rockets would not have Westbrook or Harden and be a better team than they have been, I would have said you were crazy, but head coach Stephen Silas deserves a lot of credit because he has gotten this team to buy-in to his philosophy and they are very much in the hunt for the playoffs this year. 

It does however seem like this team is one piece away from being a legit threat. Wood, Oladipo, Wall and Gordon are all guys who can go for 20+ on any given night, but they do not really have the bench play to reinforce their star players, which is exactly why Houston could look to make a big move near the NBA trade deadline. 

Julius Randle is having a breakout, All-Star season with the New York Knicks and has been a part of plenty trade rumors around the league. It seems illogical that the Knicks would look to trade their star big man, but Houston does have a lot to offer in return and his value is at an all-time high. 

Could the Rockets put together a trade package to acquire Randle from the Knicks at the NBA trade deadline and shock the NBA world? Here are three reasons why the Rockets should pursue the soon-to-be NBA All-Star big man, Julius Randle.