One of Ime Udoka’s former players from his time with the Celtics, Jaylen Brown, was thought to be of interest to the Rockets in a trade, but that seems to have vanished, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer:
“The word around the league is the Rockets haven’t been involved in the ongoing Jaylen Brown trade talks at all. Sources insist the Rockets have had no recent discussions with Boston about a Brown deal.”
Another former Celtic might be in Houston’s sights, as Marcus Smart considers his player option for the upcoming season. A Rockets team in need of more seasoned guards will undoubtedly seek Smart if he decides to become a free agent. According to Stein and Fischer:
“League sources say that Smart, who is expected to draw interest from Houston and possibly other teams in free agency, is very much giving consideration to declining his $5.4 million player option for next season with the Lakers before Monday’s deadline to do so and then proceed to the open market.”
Smart can still play a crucial role for a playoff team even though he isn’t the same player he was under Udoka in Boston. In their first-round series against the Lakers, Smart caused havoc on the youthful Rockets as an on-ball defender, and the Rockets learned that lesson the hard way. He helped hamper Houston’s offense and help the Lakers win the series in six games by averaging 2.4 steals and 1.0 blocks per game.
However, it would be risky to depend on Smart to play significant minutes during his 32-year-old season. In many respects, it would be a continuation of the same strategy that led to the Rockets’ best point guard option being Fred VanVleet, who is about the same age. However, if Smart is used sparingly and in the appropriate circumstances, he may be a good pickup. A player like Smart shouldn’t be expected by the Rockets to play a lot of minutes or make significant offensive contributions. His shooting has drastically declined since leaving Boston; last season, he only made 39% of his field goals and 33% of his threes. Houston sorely needs a primary ball handler or playmaker, and Smart is far from that.
He is useful, though, as a hounding defender who occasionally makes a corner three. In order to give players like Amen Thompson a respite from their typical demanding defense, he might enter for brief bursts. Not to be overlooked is the fact that Smart and Udoka may have the best defensive synergy of any team, as demonstrated by Smart’s 2022 Defensive Player of the Year award. Nevertheless, this offseason, the Rockets should prioritize acquiring offensive support. Smart strengthens the team’s current advantages but doesn’t assist them in resolving their main shortcomings. The Rockets shouldn’t allow him to significantly interfere with their other offseason plans, even if he declines his player option and becomes a free agent.
Due to his often lackluster shooting and offensive decision-making at this point in his career, Smart’s total value for a deep playoff run is not as high as it once was. Even if their coach still has a soft spot for him, the Rockets shouldn’t become overly enamored with him as a free agent target.
With all that said, what do you all think? Do you like the idea of Marcus Smart on the Rockets? Why or why not? Let us know, and as always, be sure to check back at The Dream Shake for all your Houston Rockets news!
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