The Houston Rockets do not need Michael Porter Jr.

The Houston Rockets have been linked to a lot of players. They're a focal point of NBA trade speculation?

Did you hear the Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors? That's a joke - of course you did. You're exhausted by the Giannis Antetokounmpo rumors.

The Rockets may eventually trade for Devin Booker, or De'Aaron Fox. They could make more modest moves for players like Cameron Johnson, or even Duncan Robinson.

How about Michael Porter Jr.?

That's a new one. Porter Jr. seems to be the newest player that's being linked to Houston.

Does it make sense?

Rockets could be intrigued by Porter Jr.

On a superficial level, Porter Jr. would make plenty of sense for the Rockets.

As it stands, he's averaging 18.3 points per game. Porter Jr. is shooting 38.5% on 7.0 three-point attempts per game. That's precisely the type of high-volume, accurate shooting the Rockets urgently need.

At 6'10", Porter Jr. has some defensive utility as well. On paper, this is precisely the player the Rockets need.

Is that accurate?

Rockets should pass on Porter Jr.

Let's talk turkey - and no, I don't mean Turkey. Although, pairing Alperen Sengun with a player like Porter Jr. is certainly tempting.

After all, the Nuggets have had tremendous success by pairing Porter Jr. with Nikola Jokic. Some Rockets fans would have the team follow that blueprint. Yet, there are reasons to avoid that blueprint as well.

Porter Jr. is overpaid. He's owed roughly $35.8 million through 2026-27. The contract has ascending value too - by it's last year, it's worth $40 million.

The Nuggets didn't make an incomprehensible error by overpaying Porter Jr. They did it because they were close enough to championship glory to keep their core together by any means. As impressive as the Rockets have been in 2024-25, they're not there yet.

Adding Porter Jr. could make getting there more complicated. Specifically, it will make it difficult to retain other key players. Assuming that Houston wouldn't include either Tari Eason or Amen Thompson in a deal for Porter Jr. they need to maintain some financial flexibility to ensure they can pay those guys.

Speaking of the 'Terror Twins', Porter Jr. has a Defensive Box Plus/Minus (DBPM) of -1.1 this year. The previous statement that he has "some defensive utility" was on the generous side. With his positional size, Porter Jr. can indeed hold up in some defensive schemes without being a complete liability.

Still, he's not the most effortful defender. Porter Jr. doesn't have great lateral quickness, either. This does not feel like an Ime Udoka player. Porter Jr. would improve the Rockets now, but at his price point and with his defensive limitations, incorporating him into Udoka's culture feels too burdensome.

You may now resume your usual Giannis Antetokounmpo speculation.