Rockets trade deadline plan just became crystal clear after latest rumors

As the Houston Rockets continue their excellent play, it has become clear that they are among the upper echelon of contenders in the NBA, having put the most potent offense in the league on full display for the first month of the season.

Yet, with the recent news that LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets could request a trade this season, rumors surrounding star point guards such as him, Trae Young and Ja Morant have begun to swirl yet again. In NBA Insider Jake Fischer's recent Insider Notebook, he hinted, even if he did not say it definitively, that the Rockets will be among the teams keeping an eye on the situations of these players as the trade deadline approaches.

"[There are] teams like the Houston Rockets, who need point guard help, that will be looking and at least inquiring about improvements at the point guard position... are going to be calling Charlotte, are going to be calling Atlanta about Trae Young, are going to be calling Memphis about Ja Morant as well."

Jake Fischer

For better or worse, it appears as though Houston is interested in testing out the market for point guard help

So far this season, Houston has undeniably been one of the best teams in the NBA. As it stands, they are first in the NBA in offensive rating, first in offensive rebounding percentage, first in 3-point percentage and second in points per game. Moreover, they have found their footing on the defensive end of the court, and they currently have the sixth-best defensive rating in the NBA.

That's a contender, no matter how you paint it.

Yet, with starting point guard Fred VanVleet poised to miss the entire season with a torn ACL, there are still lingering concerns about this team's ball movement and, by extension, their offensive ceiling.

Although the Rockets have looked undeniable offensively through the first month of the season, there have been moments where things have stagnated (take the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers, for example).

In the playoffs, they will not be able to rely as heavily on isolation possessions from Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant, and, if they cannot move the ball as well as other contenders, it could certainly come to represent their downfall.

The viability and desirability of players like Ball, Young and Morant, especially on a Houston roster with a strong defensive identity, can be debated. Yet, as was clearly demonstrated with the Durant trade, the Rockets' front office is looking to be aggressive in the pursuit of a championship.

With the way this roster is shaping up, can you blame them?