Any addition should not subtract from team’s fine-tuned chemistry

Soon after NBA All-Star Game MVP Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins played together as part of the winning Western Conference team Sunday in New Orleans, news broke that the two would remain together — and in New Orleans — for the rest of the season.

The Pelicans got a steal when they acquired Cousins from Sacramento in exchange for Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway and 2017 first- and second-round draft picks.

Just like that, the battle for the eighth seed in the West became a lot more interesting.

The Pelicans should be significantly better with Cousins. Paired with Davis, they could challenge the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the playoffs. Not that I’m predicting an upset, but it’s certainly a potentially better matchup than it seemed like it would be before Sunday night.

That blockbuster trade is likely to be the most impactful before Thursday’s trade deadline.

But there are rumors about what could unfold, involving names such as Jimmy Butler, Jahlil Okafor and Wilson Chandler. Oh, and Carmelo Anthony. Then there are the Rockets — always the Rockets at the trade deadline. You have to wonder what Daryl Morey will do because he has done something every year since he became the team’s general manager in 2007.

Two years ago, he added Corey Brewer (trade) and Josh Smith (free agent) in December. Both played key roles in the Rockets advancing to the Western Conference finals.

This season, it’s not so clear the Rockets need to make a move.

There are areas they could improve, certainly, but overall, they have better chemistry than they have had in years and have so far put together an impressive season.

It was easy to look at the Rockets after last season and know what they needed.

They needed help for James Harden in the backcourt. Enter Eric Gordon.

They needed more consistency at power forward. Enter Ryan Anderson.

If the Rockets are looking to upgrade now, it should be for defense and depth.

And they shouldn’t give up any key players to gain that, especially if it might affect their chemistry.

“Our strength this year is our chemistry,” Rockets player development coach John Lucas said. “When you have that going, you can be a dangerous team.”

In 2014-15, the addition of Smith helped the Rockets’ chemistry because he and then-center Dwight Howard were good friends. Brewer brought experience to a team that had a lot of youth.

This season, the Rockets have a good mix. They aren’t too young or too old. Their best players are seven or eight years into their careers. Then they have up-andcoming youth (Clint Capela, Sam Dekker) and veteran leadership (Nene, Trevor Ariza.)

They have a good mix that has enabled them to win 40 games and surge to third in the West at the break.

Morey, however, will be working the phones in search of anyone who can help them improve. That’s what he does.

The Rockets are in the middle of the pack in defense this season. Their defensive rebounding in particular could use a boost. A player who could help in those areas could be a good addition.

In a conference that never seems to get any easier, winning in the postseason will be difficult.

If Morey has the chance to trade for a player or players who give the Rockets more experience and/or depth without changing locker room dynamics, he should go for it.

And it’s Morey, so he will.

Fortunately, the Rockets’ success this season might not depend on whether he succeeds.