Nico Harrison firing unlocks perfect trade target for the Rockets

With the disaster that followed the Luka Doncic trade, it was largely a matter of when, not if, that Nico Harrison was let go by the Dallas Mavericks, and, as their in-state rival continues their downward spiral, the Houston Rockets likely cannot help but laugh.

Yet, with a new GM coming into Dallas, the Rockets may also have a chance to spring on an opportunity should their rival decide to strip the team down around first-overall pick Cooper Flagg: trading for struggling sharpshooter Klay Thompson.

Admittedly, such a move would be surprising to say the least. Yet, if Houston's blistering shooting pace does not hold steady, a trade for an additional perimeter shooter could be on the table, and Thompson could be the most readily available one when the time comes.

The Dallas Mavericks could be ready to strip it down, and the Rockets could benefit should the need arise

This season, the Mavericks' 3-8 start came to almost no one's surprise apart from Harrison. Without Kyrie Irving, the team is constructed almost absurdly heavily in the front court with little to no spacing and room for offensive flow.

Through their first 11 games, they are 29th in the NBA in offensive rating, 30th in points per game and 30th in 3-point percentage, and, in a highly competitive Western Conference, a hole much bigger than the one they've already dug themselves will be near-impossible to climb out of.

Therefore, unless their new GM believes that the return of Irving will make the team competitive again, it is quite possible that they will be willing to move a certain number of pieces, including Thompson, in order to undergo some degree of a reset.

Thompson, admittedly, has struggled mightily this season. So far, he is averaging just 7.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and two assists while shooting an abysmal 26.7% from beyond the arc. However, does that mean that he has nothing left in the tank? As he showed last season, Thompson is still capable of being a dynamic perimeter shooter even on a team that is relatively bereft of spacing

Houston is first in the league in 3-point percentage through the season's earliest portions. Yet, this is buoyed by what could be a series of unsustainable shooting performances, and, given the fact that they are still at the bottom of the league in 3-point attempts per game, they could benefit from another viable shooter, especially in the shooting guard spot.

Moreover, Thompon's $16.6 million salary means that the Rockets would not need to necessarily move Fred VanVleet's contract to get a deal done once their other restrictions expire in December.

While it would be rash for a hot shooting team to make a move for a player off to an abysmal start to the season, there is still abundant time until such a trade would even be on the table. For now, it is enough to say that such a move has entered the realm of remote possibility for Houston this season.