Grade the Trade: Rockets land sharpshooter in new proposal

SpaceCityScoop is a Houston Rockets page. So, it's imperative to mention that in Bleacher Report's recent "1 Trade Every NBA Team Should Propose Right Now" piece, they've got Tari Eason leaving Space City a whopping three times.

This article won't grade those trades. It will grade the trade they proposed for the Rockets. Still, it's worth noting. Let's reiterate a pressing Public Service Announcement:

Tari Eason is not available.

With that out of the way...

Rockets need to add shooting

Let's look at the trade that was proposed for the Rockets.

Miami Heat receive: Jock Landale, Jae'Sean Tate, 2026 Second-Round Pick

Houston Rockets receive: Duncan Robinson

It's easy to oppose every trade that's proposed for the Rockets. It's easy to get attached to the players on the roster. I say all of that to say this:

Rockets fans should absolutely love this deal.

In case you missed it, the Rockets need shooting. Their 31.3% shooting from beyond the arc ranks 28th in the NBA. Robinson is shooting 37.5% from long-range this year. Shockingly, that represents a down season for the career 39.5% shooter.

You'd be forgiven for viewing Robinson as a specialist. For much of his career, that's what he was. In the last couple of seasons, he's evolved as a secondary playmaker. The 3.75 assists per 75 possessions that Robinson averaged last year were a career-high.

Is there any downside to this deal for the Rockets?

Robinson is worth the salary

Perhaps there are some marginal oppositions to be made to the trade.

Robinson doesn't come cheap. Although, as Bleacher Report points out, that's fairly inconsequential.

"Adding Robinson's $19.9 million salary to the 2025-26 ledger would matter for certain teams, but Houston isn't one of them. It isn't pearl-clutching cap space after extending Green and Şengün, and Robinson's expiring number could prove valuable in bigger-time trade negotiations next summer"
- Dan Favale, Bleacher Report

More credible concerns would pertain to Robinson's defense. He's improved in recent years, but that improvement looks like a jump from "I'd rather have my great-grandmother on the floor" to "quite bad".

That's fine. The Rockets aren't adding a starter here. Robinson's minutes would be situational. In games where the Rockets badly needed an injection of shooting, he could be a tremendous addition. Alternatively, if Houston is managing to bludgeon their opponent with defense and offensive rebounding, Ime Udoka may keep Robinson on the bench.

So, this is a great deal from the Rockets' point of view. It has them adding a quality player with a much-needed skillset at the expense of a player who's fallen out of the rotation (Tate), a player who's easily replaceable, and a second-round pick.

Best of all, it doesn't include Tari Eason.

Grade: A+