10 big men Rockets GM Rafael Stone should pursue

With the Houston Rockets in dire need of another big man, here are ten quality options that Rockets GM Rafael Stone could look at.

When the Houston Rockets agreed to terms with DeMarcus Cousins, it was believed that Cousins was going to address the team’s scarcity of big men on the roster, as he became a reserve, while Christian Wood became the starting center. There was reason for optimism regarding Cousins, as he used to be one of the best players in the league entirely, and had an entire season away from basketball, which allowed him to get fully healthy from injuries he’d battled.

Cousins has certainly been valuable from a locker room standpoint, as he’s emerged as an unquestioned leader despite being in just his first season in Houston, and was very vocal about the James Harden melodrama and how Harden’s antics were unfair to those on the roster. But on the court, Cousins has beared the look of someone who was on a non-guaranteed contract, as he’s averaged 7.1 points and 5.9 rebounds, while making a measly 34.1 percent of his field goals and posting a true shooting percentage of 46.8 percent.

Cousins has also drawn the ire of the officials, as he’s gotten ejected in several of the Rockets’ games this season, which were both unjust. Aside from Cousins, it’s also been obvious that Wood has been playing out of position, as he’s more of a forward than a center, in part because of his frame, which becomes problematic on the defensive end, when traditional bigs have been posting him up in the paint.

The Rockets have been forced to go small for extended stretches in games, putting rookie Jae’Sean Tate at the center position, as his hustle, effort, and energy more than makes up for his 6’4 build. With the Rockets in clear need of another legitimate big and several quality names remaining on the market, let’s take a look at ten potential options that Rockets GM Rafael Stone could turn to.

Next: No. 10