Some Warriors fans are eagerly awaiting the Houston Rockets’ implosion this season.
The Rockets finally reached a critical point on Wednesday when they sent superstar James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets, which turned into a four-way deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Indiana Pacers. Expect other dominoes to fall in Houston, as the Rockets are 3-6 and close to the end of the Western Conference, and owner Tilman Fertitta allegedly wants to cut the payroll.
Veteran striker PJ Tucker has long been seen as a logical option for the Warriors to aim for with his exception of a $ 9.3 million handicapped player, made available by Klay Thompson’s injury. But it appears that Tucker has attracted interest from several teams in the league, Kelly Iko of The Athletic said on Wednesday, citing sources.
Tucker only signed this season, so it would probably be a short-term rental. But the Warriors could make a lot of sense as a trading partner. Fertitta would receive good salary cap savings and perhaps a protected choice from the Warriors, as the franchise came to an end for the 2021 and 2022 recruiting classes.
Tucker fulfills a variety of Warriors needs, starting with the depth of the attacking court. Eric Paschall has played well since Marquese Chriss’s injury, but Tucker would give the Warriors a physical striker who can stretch the ground with his 3-point skills. He would also provide a valuable veteran presence alongside Draymond Green and Steph Curry with the ability to defend various positions.
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The 1.8m and 245 pound Tucker is posting modest averages of 5.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. But he is shooting 52 percent (13 of 25) beyond the hoop this year, with most of his 3-point hits coming from corner kick attempts. Imagine the good shots the Warriors could get with Curry running around the perimeter and Tucker waiting to take down an open look.
The Warriors played 11 of their 72 games and started clicking during their recent seven game home. But pressure for the playoffs will come quickly during this compact season, so Golden State should try to strike a deal with Houston while the iron is hot.
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