3 reasons why not getting Jimmy Butler actually benefits the Rockets

2. The Rockets would’ve had to gut a lot of their core for Butler

Sometimes, the cost of what you have to give up outweighs the potential benefits of what you can gain, which would’ve been the case for the Rockets in a Jimmy Butler trade.

As previously mentioned, the Rockets found a third trade partner for Capela, who averaged 16.6 points and 12.7 rebounds per game last season. In order to make the salaries match and to satisfy Philadelphia, Eric Gordon would’ve been the second player included in the trade. Gordon was phenomenal for Houston in their last playoff run, averaging 17.8 points and draining 40 percent of his 3-point attempts. Not to mention, his defense in the playoffs, specifically on Donovan Mitchell in the first round, was absolutely astounding.

Finally, there’s a solid chance that Houston would’ve been forced to include P.J. Tucker in a Butler deal. Tucker is Houston’s most versatile defender, who is capable of locking up guards or power forwards. Not to mention, Tucker is one of the best corner 3-point shooters in the league, as he nailed 39.3 percent of his corner 3s last year. This type of efficiency in the corners is perfect for D’Antoni’s offense, which usually starts with a pick-and-roll at the top with shooters standing at each corner and one on the wing.

The Rockets didn’t have enough depth last season, as Austin Rivers was the only player that contributed off of Houston’s bench. Dealing Capela, Gordon and Tucker for Butler would further deplete Houston’s depth, and they still wouldn’t have much cap space to fill out the rest of the roster.

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