Houston Rockets: Is it time for the Rockets to embrace tanking?

How the Houston Rockets can accelerate the rebuild

While it may seem that the Rockets tanking away this season will set the team up for a long haul rebuild, that doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, tanking this season is more likely to accelerate the rebuilding process than extend it.

With the March 25th trade deadline less than a month away now, there are plenty of players on the team that hold value on the market to contending teams. Players like Tucker, Oladipo, and Gordon are all players that are highly coveted by contenders, and if the Rockets decide to tank and move some or all of them away, they would be able to get a nice haul of assets and young players to go with Wood, Wall, and eventually Kevin Porter Jr.

On top of that, the Rockets also get to keep their first round pick this year if it falls inside the top-four. With what is expected to be a very good draft, a top-four pick would hold a lot of value and if the season ended today, the Rockets are tied for the best odds at the first overall pick.

Brutal Schedule left for the Rockets

The Rockets also have one of, if not the worst, schedules coming up in the second half of the season. With 10 back-to-backs scheduled, and the highest opponent win percentage, the season will only get more difficult.

The condensed schedule becomes even tougher due to three rescheduled games from the first half. For the injured Rockets, it could be a death sentence.

Rockets second half schedule highlights. pic.twitter.com/GQWVDsghUV

— Jackson Gatlin (@JTGatlin) February 27, 2021

If they attempt to compete for the playoffs and don’t make the necessary moves to rebuild by the trade deadline, the remainder of the season could spell doom and despair for many years to come.

Having draft capital and young players alongside some veterans that can guide the franchise is the way to rebuild fast. Does that make it the best path for future success?

Next: The Verdict