With their eyes set on their first NBA Finals appearance in over 20 years, the 2018 Houston Rockets had built a team to specifically dethrone the Golden State Warriors of their Western Conference title. With the reigning NBA Champions against the ropes, the Rockets held a 3-2 lead heading into Game 6, but they had a slight bump in the road to deal with. Houston’s star point guard Chris Paul went down late Game 5 with a hamstring injury, and although the Rockets pulled away with the win, they were now missing a key piece to their starting squad.
Then, with the whole team on his back, MVP James Harden was unable to defeat the Warriors, as the Rockets dropped the next two games, ending their season in a disappointing playoff exit.
Jump to the offseason.
Western Conference contenders only got stronger. Most notably, DeMarcus Cousins joined Golden State, and LeBron James signed with the Lakers. Now pressured to improve, Houston made some controversial moves that could be to blame for the Rocket’s slow start to the new season. With their reputation on the line, it’s obvious that they need to make a change. Of course, it’s early in the season. But in the tightly contested Western Conference, every game matters, and one game could determine who makes the playoffs.
With Houston fan’s discomfort turning into hopelessness, they needed a savior. Perfectly-timed, a single tweet rose from the dust and raised eyebrows across the association, and although nothing has happened yet, it may have restored all hope in Houston.
Story posting soon: The Houston Rockets are making a renewed bid to acquire Minnesota All-Star Jimmy Butler, including four future first-round draft picks in their most recent trade offer, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 25, 2018
The latest Woj Bomb revealed that the Houston Rockets are revising their previous bid for Jimmy Butler, and are now including four first-round picks for the shooting guard. Jimmy Butler trade rumors have been surfacing for months but have disappeared as of late. One of the superior defenders in the league, Butler is coming off one of his best seasons yet, averaging 22 points and a career-high two steals.
In the offseason, he made it very clear that he was unhappy with the situation in Minnesota, requesting a trade elsewhere. Jimmy’s true motives for wanting to leave are unclear, but he’s voiced his concerns with the work ethic of his teammates.
Houston is the epitome of hard working. Chris Paul is known league-wide for how he pushes his teammates to improve, and two-time COTY Mike D’Antoni’s system has no room for slacking.
Over the summer, Houston lost defensive juggernaut Luc Mbah a Moute, a decent 3-and-D player in Trevor Ariza, and traded away a reliable shooter in Ryan Anderson, without getting much in return.
Now, the Rockets are left with a sizeable gap in defensive talent. By adding Jimmy Butler, the Rockets would not only add an NBA Second Team All-Defensive Second player, but also a consistent shooter to space the floor. The pros heavily outweigh the cons with this deal for the Rockets. They just need Minnesota to accept.
If Tom Thibodeau is willing to part with his star-player, Butler may receive his wish of playing for a new team. Although he would be second-fiddle to James Harden, the Rockets and Jimmy Butler are a match made in heaven that’s just waiting for Thibs to pull the trigger.