The Houston Rockets 5 biggest needs as the trade deadline approaches

The Houston Rockets currently sit 12th in the Western Conference standings with an 11-13 record. If the season were to end today they would be on the outside of the NBA’s pandemic induced play-in tournament.

The Rockets are teetering on the cusp of the playoffs but the standings remain so condensed that they are only three and a half games back of the Phoenix Suns who currently occupy the fourth seed. With a strong finish to the season, the Rockets could completely avoid the dreaded play-in tournament but a wobbly finish could see them miss out entirely.

What the Rockets need to do before the trade deadline

The NBA’s trade deadline is scheduled for March 25th and will offer the franchise a chance to bolster their rotation or sell off their players and regroup for next season. How the Rockets behave as the deadline approaches will tell how much this front office believes in the current core.

The Rockets, as currently constructed, could use some reinforcements to strengthen their rotation to solidify their playoff chances. The team’s defense has been fantastic but their offense has stagnated in the absence of James Harden.

Will the Rockets bolster their defense and try to smother opponents’ attacks to make it to the postseason or will they look to fix the offense to compliment their defense? There are areas where each could improve with the addition of a single player.

The Rockets might not be a player away from being a title contender but they are a few players away from being a sure-fire playoff team. These are the Rockets’ five biggest needs as the NBA trade season heats up.

Next: Need #5