5 Players the Houston Rockets should target before the trade deadline

Houston Rockets Trade Target #5: Larry Nance, frontcourt depth

The Rockets need to find another center that can fill in for Christian Wood and that is capable of playing alongside him. DeMarcus Cousins has been pathetic this season and outside of an incredible turnaround, this could be his last season in the NBA.

Larry Nance Jr. would be a perfect fit for this Rockets’ roster and he is under contract for two more seasons after this at reasonable prices. Nance isn’t going to vault the Rockets into contender status but he offers fantastic cover for Wood and could play alongside him if the match-up dictates it.

A part of Nance’s game that has recently evolved is that he has become a credible threat from 3-point range. On the season, Nance is shooting 38.1-percent from beyond the arc and has improved his 3-point shooting each of the past three seasons.

In many ways, Nance is the poor man’s version of Christian Wood. The Cavaliers won’t give up Nance for cheap but with their recent acquisitions of Jarrett Allen, he is clearly not a part of their long-term plans.

The Rockets will need to get creative to make room for Nance and a three-team trade could help get the deal done. In the trade, the Rockets would send P.J. Tucker to the Nets, who in turn would ship Landry Shamet and Spencer Dinwiddie to Cleveland, which would allow each team to get a player they need while also staying under the salary cap.

The secret beauty of bringing the Nets into the fold is that it’ll mean the Rockets won’t have to send nearly as much draft capital back to Cleveland. The Rockets might have to add multiple second-round picks or one low-value first-round pick to the Cavaliers to get the deal done but Nance is a player that can be a part of the roster for years to come.

Next: Trade Target #4