Rockets rumors: Houston has their eye on Wesley Matthews

The Houston Rockets are looking to upgrade their depth on the wing and they reportedly have their on eye on Wesley Matthews.

It’s no secret that the Houston Rockets lack the wing depth they had a year ago and they’ve been trying to find the right forwards since last summer.

Recently, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reported that the Houston Rockets were pursuing a 3-and-D forward who could help on the boards. Feigen named JaMychal Green as a potential trade target for Houston, who is confident they can strike some sort of deal before the trade deadline.

However, the Rockets might be able to pick up a 3-and-D forward without giving up any assets in a trade.

On Thursday, the Knicks sent Kristaps Porzingis, Courtney Lee and Tim Hardaway Jr. to Dallas in exchange for Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews. Obviously, the Knicks are a rebuilding team and are looking for younger players so they could part ways with both DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews.

According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, the Rockets would have interest in Matthews if the Knicks decide to buy him out.

Rockets are searching for 3-and-D help and would have interest in Wesley Matthews in the buyout market, according to league sources. https://t.co/uC2MswlpSr

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) January 31, 2019

Matthews can light it up from downtown, as he is shooting 38 percent from 3-point range this season. Matthews is also a solid defender, but he only averages 2.3 rebounds per game and has been a poor rebounder his entire career.

Matthews doesn’t check every box for what Houston is looking for, but picking him up on the buyout market for the veteran’s minimum without sacrificing any assets would be money well spent.

The Rockets should also keep their eyes on DeAndre Jordan. He is a Houston-native who has a solid relationship and good on-court chemistry with Chris Paul. Jordan is also one of the league’s best rebounders and he is a good interior defender, which could help a Rockets team that ranks 27th in defensive rating and dead last in opponent points in the paint.

The only problem is that Jordan would likely be asked to come off the bench as Clint Capela has earned his spot as a starting center in Houston. DJ is 30 years old and he likely wants to make as much money as possible while he is still relatively young. He may want to go to a team where he can get more playing time in order to prop up his numbers, which could lead to a bigger contract this summer.

Either way, if the Rockets take advantage of both the trade market and the buyout market, this team could look very different by March.