Houston Rockets: Team should rebuff interest in Hasheem Thabeet

The Houston Rockets have worked out former team member Hasheem Thabeet. Is the team interested in a reboot? Let’s examine why they should rebuff.

The Houston Rockets are currently in the midst of the All-Star Break and they’ll be ready to take on the second half of the season this Thursday against the Los Angeles Lakers on the road. What not a better opponent for this team to get back into gear on the road. They’ll be facing a team that has struggled as of late but will be relatively healthy for a final playoff push.

The Lakers are currently three games out of the 8th seed in the Western Conference and they’re currently 10th in the standings.

It should be an exciting, prime time match up for Houston Rockets fans like ourselves to watch.

But any way, as we’re closing in on two and half weeks from the trade deadline, Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is still at work at adding pieces to make this team better. A different task that he has this season as that he’s got to keep costs low as the team wants to stay out of the luxury tax for the remainder of the season.

With the trades of Brandon Knight, Marquese Chriss and James Ennis, they were able to recoup $10 million worth of savings, allowing them to be under the tax line for the first time this season, saving the franchise an approximate additional amount of $14 million in savings.

But the possibility exists that the team will sign guys that are bought out or free agents looking to rejuvenate their career with a 10-Day Contract.

Could the team be seeking the latter?

Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer recently reported that the Houston Rockets were among the handful of teams that were working out former team member Hasheem Thabeet in

More from House of Houston

Charlotte during the All-Star Break. The Toronto Raptors, Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia Sixers have already worked on the 7-foot-3 2009 second-round draft pick.

Thabeet has been out of the league since the 2013-14 season but is certainly intrigued about making a comeback in the Association.

His height alone as well as his raw talent will ensure he has a shot with any team in the NBA but I don’t necessarily seeing him fit back with the Houston Rockets.

Thabeet’s calling card has continued the be having a strong knack for playing defense — his defensive rating per 100 possessions has stayed in the low 100s through his career — and blocking shots but outside of that, I don’t see much else.

Who knows? That may actually be enough for the Houston Rockets to sign him.

If he figured out a way to start shooting three-pointers and making them a prolific rate, teams would be clamoring for his services without hesitation or purpose of evasion. But that’s not the reality and I’m afraid he’ll be on the outside looking in.

I’m a fan of his and I wish him nothing but the best as he tries to get back into the league. I truly enjoyed watching him in his days at the University of Connecticut but I just think he’s going to have trouble keeping up with the NBA’s frenetic pace up-and-down the court as the game has moved away from offenses center around the big man in the middle.

They’re more focused on quick-witted guards who can move the ball around and score points rapidly from behind-the-arc.

Thabeet participated in parts of two seasons with the Houston Rockets in 2010-12 in a mostly forgettable tenure that involved lots of time on the bench.

Will the Houston Rockets sign him? Let’s keep our radar on for this latest development.

Next. How James Harden has become the league's most-hated. dark

Thabeet, 31, averaged 1.2 points and 1.7 rebounds while shooting 56.5 percent from the field and 20 percent from the charity stripe through 23 games in reserve (8.3 minutes per game) with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2013-14, his last stint.

Home/Houston Rockets