Should the Rockets look to trade these 3 role players?

The Houston Rockets are one of the worst teams in the NBA by design. It isn’t a failing of the coaching staff but an obvious and direct initiative by the front office to construct a losing roster. All you have to do is look at the money. The Rockets have the most dead money in the league, and as a result, they are spending the least amount of money on their current roster. 

The Rockets’ front office didn’t stop there. They also constructed the youngest roster in the league. The Rockets’ average age of 22.4 years old is not only the youngest figure in the league, but it also underscores just how young most of the players that actually grace the court are. 

Why age matters

The Rockets have given 81% of their available minutes to players 23 and under. That figure is astronomically high compared to the competition. Young teams almost always struggle, and the Rockets have bet heavily on young players. However, that also underscores just how hard the front office has pushed to build a loser. 

An NBA player’s prime years are usually between age 24 and 32. Some players pop early, and some stave off father time, but the best way to build a winner is to play as many players in their prime. Out of 7,730 total minutes played by Rockets’ players this season, 565 (7.3%) have been played by players in their prime. Which brings us to the whole point of this article; Garrison Mathews, Jae’Sean Tate, and Bruno Fernando.