Does this trade make sense for the Houston Rockets?

After all their years of being championship threats in the Western Conference, the Houston Rockets are finally taking a step back and building for the future. The only thing they are contending for now is the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, which is why they are looking to “sell” at the trade deadline. 

Eric Gordon is just one of many veterans on this roster who could be on the move and while they already have a lot of promising looking young talents, the Rockets will be very open to acquiring more. 

Kevin Knox is in the final year of his rookie contract and acquiring him would be a win-win situation for the Rockets. Should he play well and carve out a role in the rotation, they could retain him on a cheap contract and if he does not play well, then they can simply let him go and be happy that they got out of Gordon’s big contract. 

As for Kemba Walker, the Houston Rockets do not really have a need for him, so they could either ship him somewhere else or keep him as a more affordable mentor in their backcourt instead of John Wall. 

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: This Lakers-Rockets Trade Sends Eric Gordon To Los Angeles

Quentin Grimes fits in as another young building block in the Rockets’ backcourt next to Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green. Being a solid two-way player and a reliable shooter on the perimeter, Grimes could wind up being a really solid rotational player in Houston, plus he would be a fan-favorite since he finished his collegiate career at the University of Houston. 

The main thing about this trade is that Houston gets out of Eric Gordon’s contract. He has played well for them this season, but getting rid of him allows the Rockets to get their young players more experience and most importantly, free up cap space moving forward. 

Having available funds to retain guys like Kevin Porter Jr. and Christian Wood when their contracts are up is essential, which is why this is a deal that should favor the Houston Rockets.