Houston Rockets: Marquese Chriss wants to be traded or have more minutes

The Houston Rockets have one player on the roster who hasn’t lived up to any sort of expectations in his brief NBA career so far. Now, he wants out of H-Town to get more minutes elsewhere.

The Houston Rockets were ecstatic this summer to get rid of the massive contract of Ryan Anderson that was signed in that infamous summer of 2016. In return from the Phoenix Suns, they got Brandon Knight and Marquese Chriss, two guys the Rockets thought could potentially help the team.

Unfortunately, neither has really panned out. Brandon Knight has been dealing with nagging injuries and has been super rusty when healthy. He has a large contract himself, but one that should be able to be moved easier than Ryno’s in a trade.

Marquese Chriss has also not lived anywhere near up to expectations. That’s something you can kind of say about his full career so far as a lottery pick in 2016. He’s a high-flying player that unfortunately has a low basketball IQ that is tough to watch. Chriss had an opportunity to be the backup center, but lost his minutes due to poor play.

Now, he wants out of Houston if he cannot get more minutes. The Rockets will certainly not give him more minutes, especially as they are improving and getting healthier as a squad. The next move is to find somewhere that will take the disgruntled 21-year-old.

Agent of former lottery pick Marquese Chriss in talks with Houston about granting client more minutes or seeking a trade. Our @YahooSportsNBA report. https://t.co/3ur2dj5FiY

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 28, 2019

How can he be traded?

The trade value of Marquese Chriss is very low at the moment. He obviously has the athletic potential to be good, but only if he can further develop his skills and knowledge of the game. A team that is rebuilding that will give him the chance to learn might look to take a chance on the young big man.

He could also be packaged in a bigger deal instead of a straight-up trade. Sending him to Atlanta in a package (obviously with more) for Kent Bazemore might secure him some more minutes while getting the Rockets what they want: another capable wing.

Daryl Morey is also always aggressive at trying to get more stars. While it’s tough to fit a star into the cap space situation in Houston, it isn’t necessarily impossible. Packaging Marquese Chriss in that deal might sweeten the pot a bit for a team that may be looking to tear it down.

Let’s be real: it’s going to be tough to trade Chriss. He isn’t very good and the Houston Rockets have likely been trying already to send him out. This trade demand, though, might spark something that will get a deal done. We’ll just have to wait and see.