4 non-star players the Houston Rockets could trade for this season

Tim Hardaway Jr.

Are the Pistons trying to follow the Rockets' blueprint?

It seems likely. The Pistons are making moves that resemble decisions the Rockets made last summer. They're surrounding their young core with veterans who know how to win.

One of those veterans is Tim Hardaway Jr. The Pistons traded for him this summer. Will they hang onto him if they're not in the play-in picture by the deadline?

If not, the Rockets could come knocking. Hardaway Jr. is on an expiring contract, so Houston wouldn't have to break the bank for him. A couple of salary stuffers and some second-round picks should do the trick.

It'd be worth the cost. Hardaway Jr. is a notoriously lethal movement shooter. He's exactly the type of floor spacer the Rockets need to surround their young players with. If he's not working out in Detroit, he could be part of a rebuilding process that's a little further ahead.