The Houston Rockets acquired star shooting guard Victor Oladipo earlier this season in the trade that sent James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets. In order to get him, they had to ship Caris LeVert and a couple of second-round picks to the Indiana Pacers. It was a move that many thought was strange.
Now, it appears that the Oladipo experiment could be coming to an end. With the Rockets continuing to struggle, there is “chatter” that Oladipo could go back on the trade market and be traded for the second time this year.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN made that report.
“There’s chatter starting to go around about whether Victor Oladipo will be back on the market.”
Oladipo has looked good and bad this season. There is no doubt that his body is healthier than it was last year in his recovery from a gruesome ruptured quad injury. But, his game as a whole is not what it once was.
He has played in 12 games since being traded to the Rockets. In those 12 games, he has averaged 18.3 points per game to go along with 4.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.2 steals. Oladipo has shot just 38.7 percent from the floor and 28.2 percent from the three-point line.
Those numbers show that Oladipo is no longer the All-Star that he once was with the Pacers. He can still score the ball and make plays for his teammates, but there are real limitations for him.
Not only that, Victor Oladipo only has this season left on his contract. He will be able to test free agency in the offseason. Any team that acquires him will be acquiring him to be a one-year rental.
It would make sense for the Rockets to try to flip Oladipo for something. Even if the value isn’t great, it would be better than losing him for nothing.
Expect to continue hearing rumors about the Rockets and Oladipo moving forward. The trade deadline is drawing closer quickly and this is a situation to keep a close eye on.
