Houston Rockets: Ranking the contenders with the most assets

With the trade deadline coming soon the Houston Rockets need to determine whether it’s time to be a buyer or a seller. Each team has to have these discussions and must take into account their record and the assets they have available to them.

The Rockets, after a seventh consecutive loss, are looking more and more like a seller. However, a seller needs a buyer and the teams labeled as contenders have the most incentive to buy before the trade deadline passes.

There have been persistent rumors that the Rockets will look to move P.J. Tucker and Victor Oladipo might well join him. While both of these players have appeal to the league’s best teams, they must also have the assets to swing a move for them.

Contenders usually don’t like to move key players from their roster mid-season and thus their draft capital is the best way for them to add players. Some contenders have already emptied their cupboards but others are stocked to the brim with picks and should be suitable partners for the Rockets.

Using teams’ current records there are about 13 teams, eight in the Western Conference and five in the Eastern, that should be active as the trade deadline looms. However, a few of these teams could fall out of the race, while a few more could join them.

Each team’s record and future first-round picks are being used to determine where they rank. Without further ado, these are where each contender ranks in terms of assets they have and how likely they’ll be able to make a trade with the Rockets.

Next: The no assets contenders: Teams #13 to #11