1 Rockets trade target at every position to consider

Frontcourt targets for the Rockets at the deadline

Small Forward-Luke Kennard

At 6-foot-5, Luke Kennard can be slotted into either the shooting guard slot or the small forward slot, which is evidenced by the fact that the Grizzlies have had lineups with him playing either position. The Grizzlies don't have much of a need for Kennard, considering their current standing, which can be attributed to an unfortunate string of injuries.

Kennard is still a knockdown shooter, which is a premium skillset in the NBA. In fact, Kennard was the league's best long-range shooter in 2021-22 (44.9 percent on six attempts) and 2022-23 (49.4 percent on 4.6 attempts). Rockets star center Alperen Sengun would benefit tremendously from having a movement shooter, like Kennard, as it would open up a litany of dribble hand-off opportunities for Sengun, miuch like what we've seen with Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

And Kennard holds a team option for 2024-25, which makes him even more valuable.

Power Forward-Chris Boucher

Raptors President of Basketball Operations Masai Ujiri has torn down the Raps' 2018-19 championship roster and finally embraced the rebuild. Nick Nurse, Fred VanVleet, Kyle Lowry, OG Anunoby, Pascal Siakam, and Kawhi Leonard are all gone.

The only player left from that championship roster is Chris Boucher, and he's played the fewest minutes since the 2019-20 COVID-shortened season (14.2 minutes). Boucher has never been a starter in Toronto, but the fact that his minutes have been reduced even more of a rebuilding team is surely a sign for the 31-year-old.

Boucher's defensive energy, length, and rebounding would make him a great fit on a contending team. He's still averaging 15.6 points and 10.2 rebounds per 36 minutes and he can stretch the floor some, as his career 33.3 percent average from long-range still make him a decent spacer.

The 6-foot-9 forward has one year left on his contract, which could make it even easier to pry him out of Toronto for a fairly insignificant package.

Center-Clint Capela

Clint Capela is the best recent example of the Rockets' developmental system. Capela was drafted with the 25th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft and morphed into a high-level contributor during the Rockets' title contending seasons, as he was a great rim-runner for James Harden, while also providing a great post defense near the rim.

Not to mention his ability to absolutely crash the glass and progress into a stellar rebounder (10.8 rebounds in 2017-18, 12.7 rebounds in 2018-19, 13.8 rebounds in 2019-20, and a league-leading 14.3 rebounds in 2020-21).

That was then and this is now. Capela is obviously not the same player at 29 years of age, although he's still capable of being highly serviceable and doing many of the same things.

He's averaging 11.2 points and 10.4 rebounds as a starter for the Hawks, and although his shooting efficiency did take a bit of a dip, he's still shooting 57.8 percent from the field and on two-pointers, which are both his lowest marks since his rookie season in 2014-15. Capela can still defend and rebound at a high level and the Hawks would love to move him to allow Onyeka Okongwu to finally take over at center.

Capela is on an expiring deal and he already stated that he'd welcome a reunion with the Rockets earlier this season.