Why The Houston Rockets Do The Deal 

Some Rockets fans will protest this trade. To be sure, it’s not an open-and-shut case. 

After all, as it currently stands, the Rockets project to have tremendous cap space ahead of 2023 Free Agency. Moreover, they owe their picks (with protections) to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2024 and 2025. Many see a clear blueprint: tank for one more year, and then load up on veterans to get back to being competitive. 

In theory, that’s a nice plan. In practice, it’s hard to say with certainty that a bottom-feeding Rockets will attract free agents. Furthermore, the 2023 free agency class isn’t particularly appealing in the first place. 

The Rockets may be better off staying the course. Their young players are likely to have improved enough to avoid conveying a lottery pick to the Thunder by the 2023-24 season.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Dallas Mavericks & Sacramento Kings Updates

Absorbing Bertans’ contract impacts their books, but at the cost of an intriguing young player like Green and a protected first-round pick,  it should be worth their while. 

Is landing Harrison Barnes worth that cost to the Mavericks?