7 players the Houston Rockets should target on the buyout market

7. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has never quite lived upto his draft position, as he was selected with the second overall pick in the 2012 draft. This meant MKG was selected ahead of Bradley Beal, Damian Lillard, and Draymond Green, to name a few.

If MKG is being measured based off his draft position then it’s safe to label him a bust. But the reality is the now-defunct Charlotte Bobcats were making a bit of a reach when they selected him that high anyways, which isn’t exactly his fault.

MKG is viewed as a hustle player who has a never-ending motor, which is a valuable trait to have. On top of that, MKG is 6-foot-6, which means he can play either forward position or even play center in the small ball lineup.

Through his first eight years, MKG hasn’t shown the ability to be a consistent 3-point shooter, but the 26-year-old Kentucky product has shown the ability to contribute in other areas. MKG is averaging 7.9 rebounds per 36 minutes this season, which would be a welcome addition for a Houston Rockets team that is often outrebounded, due to the small lineup.

Perhaps one of MKG’s biggest strengths is his defense, which the Rockets desperately need. Kidd-Gilchrist has the size to defend both small forwards and power forwards, and his defensive prowess has been shown by the numbers.

Although MKG has only played 13.3 minutes this season, he has a defensive field goal percentage of 41.3 percent, which would rank second on the Houston Rockets, behind only Eric Gordon (excluding Chris Clemons).

As MKG has already been released, the Rockets will likely have to move fast, because the Dallas Mavericks are reportedly one of the favorites to land him, according to Wojnarowski.

Next: No. 6