Houston Rockets: Should the Rockets extend Victor Oladipo?

When the Houston Rockets acquired Victor Oladipo as part of the James Harden trade there was rightful confusion. To land Oladipo the Rockets had to send Caris LeVert from the Brooklyn Nets to the Indiana Pacers.

LeVert is only 26-years-old and under contract for two more seasons after this one for a total of $36.3 million. Oladipo, on the other hand, is 28-years-old, and on an expiring deal for $21 million this season.

The Rockets offloaded a younger player on a better contract for an older player who might not have a future in Houston. The notable caveat is that the Rockets could extend Oladipo and make the contact length a moot point.

The question that the Rockets need to answer, before the March 25th trade deadline, is if they want to extend Oladipo’s time in Houston. Unfortunately, it’s not just the Rockets’ decision as they also need to convince Oladipo that signing an extension is in his best interest.

Oladipo’s tenure in Houston has amounted to 11 games but the clock is nearing midnight. The Rockets have a little more than a month to figure out if Oladipo is a player they want to keep for the long haul and at presumably an exorbitant cost.

When LeVert’s age and contract are taken into account, not extending Oladipo will necessitate that the Rockets receive a strong haul for him in trade. These are the reasons that the Rockets should and should not extend Victor Oladipo and the final verdict.

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