How can the Rockets address their point guard weakness? A US journalist suggests trading White: use VanVleet plus a first-round pick to acquire him.

On November 1st Beijing time, Houston journalist Anthony Duckett discussed the Rockets’ current weaknesses, suggesting trading VanVleet in hopes of obtaining Derrick White to boost the backcourt, with the following perspective—

Up to now, the most prominent shortcoming of the Houston Rockets is at the guard spot. The team finds it extremely difficult to push the ball forward effectively.

They also lack players who can initiate pick-and-roll actions. It’s not that they have none, but VanVleet is expected to be sidelined with injury for the foreseeable future.

This issue isn’t very obvious against teams like the Nets; however, when facing genuine contenders such as the Thunder, this weakness makes it hard for the Rockets to secure victories.

However, the Rockets are not entirely incapable of addressing this problem, though it is challenging. They can easily pick up a second-tier role player from other teams’ benches, but whether these players can truly become game-changers in the long run remains uncertain.

Additionally, they could use VanVleet’s contract (around $25 million annually) as salary matching capital to trade for a usable player.

For any championship-contending team, giving up such a trade opportunity is tough, especially for a team facing a hard salary cap constraint.

Derrick White might be a suitable reinforcement for the Rockets, even though his performance this season seems to have declined (averaging 16.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists over the first six games, with a shooting percentage of 32.1% and a three-point rate of 25.4%). His struggles this season stem from being assigned a role that doesn’t fit him: the primary scoring option on a non-contending team. What he truly excels at is being a role player and a “glue guy” on a championship-caliber team.

White has been one of the league’s top defenders for several years now. With Tatum out this season, many expect him to have an All-Star level breakout.

White is also an underrated playmaker, especially skilled at delivering passes to teammates cutting to the basket or rolling off screens. During his past three seasons with the Celtics, he averaged about 5 assists per game.

At the same time, his outside shooting is reliable—though this season’s stats might suggest otherwise. Part of the reason is that he is currently dealing with a wrist injury.

There is enough data to prove that this season’s performance does not reflect his true level. In fact, during last season’s Eastern Conference semifinals, he averaged 10.8 three-point attempts per game, hitting them at a 40% clip.

To acquire White from the Celtics, the Rockets would need to include VanVleet’s contract (and since VanVleet has a potential trade veto, his consent is also required), possibly along with one or even two first-round picks.

But this trade will quickly show its value, as Udoka knows exactly how to reactivate White’s abilities once again.

What do you think the Rockets should do to fill the gap left by VanVleet’s absence? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.