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

Houston Rockets target #10: Nerlens Noel

Nerlens Noel was on the Houston Rockets’ radar in 2019-20, as they reportedly had a deal lined up that they believed would have brought Noel to Houston. Noel would have made a tremendous impact on that specific team, as the Rockets infamously employed the small-ball lineup, in part because they didn’t have a legitimate center on the roster.

Noel is a rim-protecting center, as his 7-foot-4 wingspan makes it easy for him to contest shots. Noel had an impressive per 36 statline in 2019-20, as he averaged 14.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per 36 minutes. Noel also made 68.4 percent of his shots, leading to a true shooting percentage of 71.1 percent.

Noel signed with the New York Knicks in the offseason, and has reportedly made it known to the Knicks’ brass that he’s unhappy.

Per source, Nerlens Noel is unhappy in New York. He and coach, Tom Thibodeau are not seeing eye to eye. Source confirms that Noel has asked to be moved or bought out as soon as possible.

— Vin Fosh NBA (@vinfosh) January 4, 2021

Noelis low on this list because of his contractual situation, as he’s under contract, unlike the other players that are listed above him. This means the Rockets wouldn’t have as easy of a path of landing Noel as the other players on this list.

But if he’s bought out, Noel could have a significant role on the Houston Rockets as a rim protector and a rim runner.

Next: No. 9

Houston Rockets target # 9: Noah Vonleh

Although Noah Vonleh was selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, he’s been a journeyman throughout his NBA career, as he’s played for six different teams through his first six seasons in the NBA. Vonleh is still just 25-years-old and had his best season in many respects in 2019-20, as he posted per 36 averages of 12.6 points on 56.5 percent from the floor.

Vonleh also posted true shooting splits of 62.2 percent, despite changing uniforms twice during the season. Vonleh can be a plus defender, as he posted a defensive field goal percentage of 46.8 percent in 2019-20.

The Chicago Bulls signed Vonleh prior to the start of the season, but his season was cut short after he contracted the novel coronavirus, and the Bulls ultimately released him shortly thereafter. Vonleh managed to play one preseason game, which happened to be against the Rockets coincidentally.

During that game, Vonleh had 12 points in 11 minutes of action during the contest and went 3-of-4 from the field. What was even more impressive about the 6-foot-10 big man’s performance in that game is that he was the leading rebounder in the game, as he had eight rebounds in limited playing time.

Vonleh’s ability to crash the glass would be appealing from the Rockets’ standpoint.

Next: No. 8

Houston Rockets target # 8: Johnathan Motley

To say that Johnathan Motley had a stellar collegiate career at Baylor would be a major understatement, as he was an All-American during his junior season in Waco and even won the Karl Malone award, which goes to the nation’s top power forward. But in spite of Motley’s success in Waco, he went undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft, leading many to question whether he made the wrong decision by leaving Baylor with a year left of eligibility.

The Houston-native continued towards his path of making it to the NBA, as he was signed to a two-way contract by the Dallas Mavericks. Motley would ultimately only play 11 games for the Mavericks, as he was traded to the LA Clippers during the 2018 offseason.

Motley’s convoluted path to the NBA continued after he was dealt to the Clippers, as he was later signed by the Phoenix Suns at the start of the 2020 offseason. Motley would only last four games in the desert, but posted averages of six points on 53 percent from the field, while also averaging 4.8 rebounds, all in just 11.3 minutes per contest.

Phoenix would release Motley before the season started, likely sending him to the G-League yet again, where he has been beyond stellar since joining in 2017. Motley has been All-G-League in each of his three seasons in which he played, and has been one of the top scorers, as outlined below:

• 2017-18: 22.2 points (10th)
• 2018-19: 24.5 points (6th)
• 2019-20: 24 points (2nd)

Motley posted a true shooting percentage of greater than 60 percent in each season and averaged 10 rebounds in each of his first two seasons, while averaging 9.2 rebounds through his entire G-League career, which isn’t bad for a 6-foot-8 forward.

Motley has also flashed the ability to create looks for others, as he’s averaged roughly three assists in the G-League, while also making 35.6 percent of his threes in 2019-20, which is proof of his all-around skillset. At 25-years-old and a surefire inexpensive cost, Motley would be a wise add for Houston Rockets GM Rafael Stone.

Next: No. 7

Houston Rockets target #7: Skal Labissiere

Although Skal Labissiere isn’t on an NBA roster at the moment, it’s not because he doesn’t hold value, as the 24-year-old big man is coming off of his best season of sorts in 2019-20. Labissiere was a rotational big for the Portland Trail Blazers last season, and averaged 12.1 points, 10.7 rebounds, and two blocks per 36 minutes.

Labissiere’s defensive rating was the second-best on Portland’s roster in 2019-20 among players that played at least 500 minutes and he finished third in blocks per 36 minutes on the roster, which shouldn’t be a surprise, as his 7-foot-3 wingspan makes it easy for him to contest shots.

The 6-foot-10 Labissiere is a career 35.3 percent shooter from deep, although he doesn’t take an inordinate amount of treys. Labissiere has averaged just 13.5 minutes per game through his last two seasons combined, which is obviously a small sample size, and makes it tough to get a glimpse of what he can bring to the table.

When Labissiere last appeared in the G-League in 2017-18, he posted gaudy averages of 28 points, 15.5 rebounds, and five block per game, while also making 66.7 percent of his treys. This was all on a small sample size, as he played in just two games, but averaged 35 minutes per game.

Labissiere made 55.1 percent of his shots in 2019-20 and posted true shooting splits of nearly 60 percent, which is roughly the same clip he finished at in 2018-19. Labissiere could provide the Rockets with a strong presence on the glass, in addition to a plus defender and a potential lob threat for John Wall.

Next: No. 6

Houston Rockets target #6: Jonah Bolden

Jonah Bolden is easily the most obscure name on this list, as he nearly went undrafted in the 2017 NBA Draft and has bounced around between the NBA and the G-League. At 6-foot-10. Bolden could play either forward or center, and his presence provides a significant boost on the boards for the Rockets, who have been outrebounded in three of their four losses this season.

Bolden averaged 11.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per 36 minutes as a rookie, while posting a true shooting percentage of 59.5 percent. Bolden also made 35.4 percent of his threes, albeit on a small sample size of just 2.2 attempts per game as a rookie.

Bolden had a much more reliable sample size during his tenure in the G-League, as he averaged 15.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists, in addition to making 34.6 percent of his threes as a rookie. In his second season in the G-League, Bolden averaged 11.6 points on 64.7 percent true shooting, in addition to making 50.4 percent of his shots and 35.6 percent of his threes.

Bolden’s playing time reduced from 31 minutes in the 2018-19 G-League season to 24.7 minutes in 2019-20, but his shooting efficiency improved with less shot attempts. Although Bolden is just 25-years-old, he could provide great contributions off of the bench for the Houston Rockets.

Next: No. 5

Houston Rockets target #5: Jordan Bell

Jordan Bell is the only player on this list with championship experience, as he was a member of the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors team. Bell started in 13 games for the Dubs as a rookie that season, which shows that he’s mentally wired and prepared to be a difference-maker, when needed.

Bell posted averages of 11.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.5 blocks, and 1.6 steals per 36 minutes, while also making 64.1 percent true shooting, the latter of which ranked second on the Dubs, behind only Stephen Curry. Bell posted six blocks in the Warriors’ November 24th match against the Bulls, which was a game-high and still represents a career-high.

Bell became a steady contributor in his second season with the Dubs, as he had averages of 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.3 blocks per 36 in 2018-19. Bell bounced around in 2019-20, as he played on both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies, averaging 13.1 points and 11.4 rebounds per 36, while also making 33.3 percent of his threes, which isn’t bad for a center.

At just 26-years-of-age, Bell presents a young, developmental option for the Rockets, who has an all-around game that makes one wonder why the 6-foot-8 center isn’t on an NBA roster. The Rockets could sign Bell and he could immediately boost his value, and especially alongside a pure point guard like John Wall.

The Houston Rockets actually acquired Bell in the 2019-20 trade that sent Clint Capela to the Atlanta Hawks and sent Robert Covington to the Rockets, although they dealt Bell to the Memphis Grizzlies for Bruno Caboclo shortly thereafter.

Next: No. 4

Houston Rockets target #4: John Henson

John Henson entered the league with high expectations, having been a lottery pick and a two-time Defensive Player of the Year during his three-year run at North Carolina. Henson hasn’t exactly lived up to those expectations, as he hasn’t developed into a star player, but he’s been a solid and steady rotational player, which is exactly the role that the Rockets would need him to fill.

Through eight seasons Henson has a career average of 2.6 blocks per 36 minutes, and his 7-foot-6 wingspan certainly has helped him on the defensive end. Henson posted averages of 13.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per 36 during the 2019-20 season, which is proof that he can still contribute.

Henson has the versatility to play either the forward or center position, and his rebounding would provide a significant boost to a Rockets team that ranks 21st in rebounding this season. To that point, Henson had an offensive rebound percentage of 8.5 percent during the 2019-20 season, which would be the highest clip on the Rockets this season.

Henson posted a defensive rebound percentage of 28 percent just two seasons ago, which would be second on the Rockets this season, behind only DeMarcus Cousins. Henson is still a free agent, as he wasn’t invited to any team’s training camp and would figure to be available for a fairly low cost.

For the 14-16 minutes that Henson would be relied upon, the Rockets could do much worse than him.

Next: No. 3

Houston Rockets target #3: Dewayne Dedmon

Dewayne Dedmon was largely unknown through his first three seasons in the NBA, as he struggled to find a landing spot in the league. Dedmon played on three different teams (Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic) but never played more than 15 minutes per game on any of the three teams, and failed to play at least 60 games in any of his first three stops.

Dedmon’s NBA career took off in 2016-17 when he was signed by the San Antonio Spurs, who were coming off a 67-15 season in 2015-16. The Spurs were also looking to replace Tim Duncan and David West, who combined to play 43 minutes per game and averaged 15.7 points and 11.3 rebounds.

Dedmon played 76 games for the Spurs that season, and yielded roughly 18 minutes per night, while making 62.2 percent of his field goals, which was second-best on the team, and posting true shooting splits of 64.5 percent, which was a team-high. Dedmon averaged 10.5 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per 36 minutes.

Dedmon’s playing time reduced significantly in the Spurs’ 2017 postseason run, as he played just 8.1 minutes per night, but averaged 16.7 points and 17.4 rebounds per 36 minutes, the latter of which was a team-best. Dedmon’s season with the Spurs landed him a two-year contract with the Atlanta Hawks, which paid him $14.1 million, which was the biggest pay day of his career at that point.

The Hawks ushered out Paul Millsap and Dwight Howard, carving out a path for Dedmon to play a significant role. Dedmon averaged 24.9 minutes in 2017-18 and made the most of them, as he averaged 10 points on 52.4 percent from the floor, while also nabbing 7.9 rebounds on the 24-58 Hawks.

Dedmon also developed a 3-point shot, which made him even more valuable, as he made 35.5 percent of his threes on 2.3 attempts per game. Dedmon had another strong showing in 2018-19 with Atlanta, as he averaged 10.8 points and 7.5 rebounds, while making 38.2 percent of his threes on 3.4 attempts.

In each of Dedmon’s two seasons in Atlanta, he posted true shooting averages of roughly 60 percent, which continued to display his efficiency on the offensive end. Dedmon agreed to terms with the Sacramento Kings on a three-year deal worth 40 million prior to the 2019-20 season, but wasn’t a fit in Sacramento, as he couldn’t crack the rotation and played just 15.9 minutes per night, leading him to get traded to the Atlanta Hawks midway through the season, who were obviously not contending and didn’t get invited to the NBA’s bubble.

Dedmon was later traded to the Detroit Pistons, who waived him shortly thereafter. At just 31-years-old and Dedmon being just two years removed from his Atlanta days in which he averaged 10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds in his combined two years, while also making 35.8 percent of his threes, Dedmon is easily one of the most quality names remaining on the market.

Next: No. 2

Houston Rockets target #2: Kyle O’Quinn

After eight seasons with four different teams, it’s safe to say that Kyle O’Quinn has proven his value in the NBA. The 6-foot-9 big man holds career averages of 13.8 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 2.4 blocks per 36 minutes.

O’Quinn posted a player efficiency rating of 18.6 in 2019-20, which was an improvement over his 2018-19 PER of 16.8, and is further proof of what he can still bring to the table. O’Quinn had two games last season in which he played in at least 27 minutes, and posted a double-double in each contest.

The 30-year-old big man nabbed 10 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 blocks vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers, while also making 50 percent of his shots in the December 7th contest. O’Quinn also nearly had a triple-double in Philadelphia’s game against the Phoenix Suns in the bubble, scoring 9 points, whole also dishing out a career-best 11 assists and grabbing 10 rebounds.

O’Quinn has left his mark on his former teammates, as evidenced by Tobias Harris clamoring for him to be signed to a roster this season.

https://twitter.com/tobias31/status/1333917320557830144?s=20

O’Quinn’s veteran presence could be beneficial to both Rockets rookie head coach Stephen Silas and Rockets center Christian Wood, who is only in his fifth season in the league.

As O’Quinn is entering his ninth season in the league, his veterans-minimum salary would be just $2.3 million, which would be a price worth paying for Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta.

Next: No. 1

Houston Rockets target #1: Ian Mahinmi

Although Ian Mahinmi just wrapped up his 12th season, he showed that he still has quite a bit left in the tank. The 6-foot-11 center led the Wizards in blocks, despite only playing 21.3 minutes per game and having a minor role with the franchise.

Although Ian Mahinmi just wrapped up his 12th season, he showed that he still has quite a bit left in the tank. The 6-foot-11 center led the Wizards in blocks, despite only playing 21.3 minutes per game and having a minor role with the franchise.

Mahinmi had a resurgence of sorts, as he posted his highest averages in scoring, rebounds, assists, and blocks since 2015-16, and also averaged more steals than either of his previous two seasons. All in all, Mahinmi averaged 12.6 points, 9.7 rebounds, and two blocks per 36 minutes and had the second-best defensive rating on the Wizards last season.

Mahinmi’s defense would be a welcome addition to a Rockets team that lacks elite rim protection. Although Mahinmi is 34-years-old, he could still be serviceable for the Rockets.

In addition, Mahinmi has a familiarity with John Wall, as both players spent four seasons with the Washington Wizards and first became teammates in 2016.