Rockets fire sale coming ahead of NBA trade deadline?

“I keep hearing they’re going to fire-sale,” an NBA scout told Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer. “Houston’s gonna burn the house down,” an assistant general manager added.

This is the clearest indication yet that the Rockets are going into full-scale rebuild mode ahead of the NBA trade deadline. It makes sense. As noted above, Morey sold off a ton of future draft assets for Westbrook back in the summer of 2019.

That includes a top-four protected 2021 NBA Draft pick — a selection the Rockets have about a 50% chance of keeping depending on how the draft lottery plays out. Moving on from multiple veterans makes sense.

Will a Victor Oladipo trade happen?

After being acquired in the James Harden blockbuster trade earlier this season, Oladipo turned down a max-level extension offer with Houston recently. The Rockets will now likely move off the All-Star guard ahead of the NBA trade deadline.

Most recently, NBA rumors indicate that the Golden State Warriors are interested in Oladipo. However, it remains to be seen what they have to offer now that the Timberwolves’ top-three protected pick in 2021 (unprotected in 2022) is off the table in Oladipo trade talks. The same thing can be said about rookie No. 2 pick, center James Wiseman.

Among the other teams potentially interested in Oladipo, the Miami Heat make the most sense. They could offer a decent package, leading to rumors of a trade actually coming to fruition. An impending free agent, Oladipo, 28, is averaging 19.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.9 assists with Houston this season.

Other players available ahead of NBA trade deadline?

Pretty much everyone outside of Christian Wood and stud rookie Jae’Sean Tate will likely be available. However, it’s highly unlikely that Houston will be able to move John Wall’s bloated contract after it acquired him in the Westbrook trade with the Washington Wizards.

This means that Houston has other assets in P.J. Tucker, Eric Gordon, Danuel House and Ben McLemore to offer to contending teams.

Of that group, Tucker has drawn the most interest on the NBA trade block. He can play all three frontcourt positions. That type of flexibility is intriguing to contending teams.

We’re highly intrigued to see how all of this plays out in Houston. For now, it appears that new general manager Rafael Stone is going all in with a rebuild. Considering the current iteration of these Rockets, that’s not a bad thing.