Could the Houston Rockets target Pascal Siakam this summer?

So you're telling me there's a chance?

It's an iconic movie line from Dumb and Dumber. It became iconic because it's often applicable. When something has a slim chance of happening, it's a failsafe.

BetOnline recently named the Houston Rockets the sixth-most likely team to snag Pascal Siakam from the Indiana Pacers this summer. So...

You're telling us there's a chance?

Could Houston Rockets pursue star forward?

There is some sense in naming the Rockets as a destination for Siakam. It would be in line with the moves they made last summer.

Last summer, the Rockets did whatever they could to improve their roster without surrendering assets. A move for Siakam could be in line with the same strategy.

Sure, they'd have to give something up. The Rockets won't have the cap space to sign Siakam outright. This would involve a sign-and-trade arrangement.

Typically, one team in a sign-and-trade is light on leverage. If Siakam landed on the Rockets, it would mean that he didn't want to rejoin the Pacers. They'd have to take what they could get - the Rockets would likely send them some combination of Dillon Brooks, Jock Landale and Jae'Sean Tate. They may send the Pacers a heavily protected first for the trouble of taking on Brooks' deal.

Does that make sense for the Rockets? Does it make sense for Siakam?

Houston Rockets unlikely to land Siakam

Respectively, a soft no, followed by a hard one.

Sure, the Rockets could justify continuing to upgrade their roster by landing Siakam. That said, he's a ball-dominant player who may not facilitate the growth of Houston's young stars. As a career 33.0% three-point shooter, we don't love his fit with Alperen Sengun or Amen Thompson.

Meanwhile, he'd inevitably edge someone out of the rotation. The Rockets shouldn't marginalize Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, or Cam Whitmore in favor of a 30-year-old who isn't getting them to the Finals soon.

On that note - the Pacers nearly got to the Finals in 2023-24. This is all moot anyway. If Siakam doesn't rejoin the Pacers (which feels overwhelmingly likely) he'll likely be heading to a serious contender. There may be some chance that the Rockets sign Siakam this summer:

But it's an awfully slim one.