Houston Rockets: 3 teams who need both P.J. Tucker and Victor Oladipo
The Houston Rockets’ plunge down the standings, amid a nine-game losing streak, have made the rumors of P.J Tucker and Victor Oladipo’s availability through trade become more and more likely. The pair are on expiring contracts and with the expanded playoff format, never before have more teams considered themselves buyers.
The Rockets at 11-19 are in no position to contend and their status as a seller places them in a prime position to capitalize on what should be a busy and competitive trade market. Tucker and Oladipo could become the two biggest names to move before the trade deadline as proven playoff performers.
Houston Rockets: What are P.J. Tucker and Victor Oladipo’s trade value?
Individually, Tucker and Oladipo have a significant amount of value around the league, despite the fact that they are rentals. In fact, them being on expiring deals could make them more valuable with the uncertainty of next year’s salary cap looming over every front office.
However, their value differs from team to team and from night to night. Some nights Oladipo looks like a championship-caliber second option and on others, he shoots the Rockets out of a game.
Tucker, on the other hand, is taking the fewest shots per game of his Rockets tenure and his 3-point shooting has slipped considerably. It was reported earlier in the season that the Rockets were asking for a first-round pick or three second-round picks for Tucker.
The market for Victor Oladipo hasn’t yet materialized but the Rockets will surely want far more for Oladipo than they would for Tucker. Even though he has struggled in Houston his price should be close to two first-round picks.
The conventional wisdom says the Rockets should be patient and facilitate two different trades to see off Oladipo and Tucker. However, the Rockets should throw convention to the wind and sell Tucker and Oladipo as a package deal.
Next: Why packaging Victor Oladipo and P.J. Tucker is the right move