Houston Rockets: Team should consider trade for center Thon Maker

The Houston Rockets do need additional front court help and Thon Maker, who’s not happy with his situation should be a target. Why? Let’s take a look.

The Houston Rockets have about a week and half to go before the trade deadline and we’re all wondering if Daryl Morey is going to make a move to help improve this team. As with every trade deadline that I can remember, there hasn’t been one where Morey hasn’t made some time of move — major or minor — to help improve this team.

I’d expect nothing less out of Morey this time around but don’t expect any blockbuster deals because the Houston Rockets simply do not have the assets — nor cap space — to make any drastic moves.

With about $139 million committed to salaries this season, the team is about $7 million above the luxury tax line. With each move that they make, they have to be concerned about the contract they take on as there is a penalty for each dollar that they’re spending above the line. The damages can be more punitive as the bill increases, which is currently at nearly $14 million for 2018-19.

Despite the team striking out on signing Danuel House to a deal, the team has found solid help on the waiver wire market in Austin Rivers and Kenneth Faried, of which the latter had a solid performance against the Toronto Raptors this Friday.

But the Houston Rockets need to consider another guy that could help the front court immensely with his defense and rebounding.

Whom you ask?

The Houston Rockets need to target Milwaukee Bucks’ center Thon Maker as the 7-foot-1 Australian prospect has reportedly requested to be traded — per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski because of a lack of playing time. He’s certainly a big man with tons of potential but has still yet to make his mark in his third season in the Association.

Brook Lopez — who was signed in the off season — as well as Ersan Ilyasova and sophomore forward D.J. Wilson has jumped him the rotation which is alarming cause of concern for Maker’s development.

The former lottery pick of the 2016 Draft is averaging just a paltry 11.7 minutes per game versus 16.7 in 2017-18, a full five-minute difference in playing time.

He’s an aggressive ballplayer that can play pretty darn good defense but the guys that are playing ahead of him are doing just a bit better.

Here’s what the Rockets should do:

With the Houston Rockets knack of being able to get the most out of their players, I think the team should try to take a flyer and try to trade for Maker. I think a late, conditional future second-rounder should be the highest of costs for this guy along with some cash and the rights to some international player that has potential to make an NBA roster. If the Bucks want Marquese Chriss, they can have him too but the aforementioned is more of wish rather than what would actually happen.

The 21-year-old has a 103 defensive rating per 100 possessions this season and is averaging 14.4

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points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.6 per 36 minutes, demonstrating that he’s a self-starter and can flourish when given the opportunity.

He has a 13.1 PER for the Bucks this season along with an 18.8 rebounding percentage and a .546 TS%. He’s also a solid shot-blocker, something we’ve been lacking since Clint Capela‘s absence, with a 3.8 percent block percentage, his second-highest mark of his career.

Now when Capela returns, Maker could see a decrease in minutes but I think he can do enough to have quality minutes — as much as 20 per night — in this rotation.

The story of his NBA career with the Bucks is that there has always been some other talent lurking over his shoulder, threatening to take his spot and I know he’s tired of it.

If he comes to the Houston Rockets, he’ll make an impact immediately and I think this is a minor, under-the-radar, low-cost deal the team should consider.

Maker is still on his rookie deal and will make $2.8 million for 2018-19 and the Bucks have already picked up his $3.6 million option for 2019-20. He’s not expensive and I think he’s worth enough of a risk to see how he works in this system. One of my pet peeves of his, Maker has worked to decrease his fouls per game, which is down to 1.6 from 2.2 in 2017-18. That may be because of less minutes but it’s certainly a trend in the right direction.

Now Maker may feel personally that he’s a starter but he’s just not there yet and has to earn his keep first. I think he’d be a great continuity option when Nene decides to hang it up for good.

We’ll have to see!

Next. Three front court players the Rockets should trade for. dark

Maker has averaged 4.7 points and 2.7 rebounds with a shooting line of .440/.333/.541 through 35 games — zero starts — this season.

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