Trade deadline creates angst
Though the Rockets played with the uncertainty that comes with Thursday’s trade deadline, coach Stephen Silas said he would like his team to deal with it as they have sought to handle a myriad of issues and distractions since before the season began.
“I try to stick to the controllables,” Silas said. “If there are any conversations had, basically control what you can and everything else around you, everything else you can’t control are distractions and possibly taking away from the goal at hand. It’s just one of those things where it’s a delicate thing. You don’t want to address rumor.
“At this point, everything is rumor. If you start addressing one rumor after the other after the other, it gives credence to it and it makes it more of a thing than it possibly can be. There is kind of a fine line that you walk as trade deadline approaches. I don’t address it with too many guys.”
Victor Oladipo, who is considered the most likely Rockets player to be dealt, missed Monday’s game for right quad injury management and did not play on Wednesday because of a personal matter unrelated to the deadline. He recently posted an Instagram story about the death of a close friend.
Other Rockets players, however, could also be moved, with six Rockets players including Olidipo on expiring contracts, not including two-way contract players Justin Patton and Anthony Lamb.
The deadline is at 2 p.m. Thursday.
“The trade deadline is a really hard thing for a lot of guys, especially now with social media and the attention on the NBA,” Silas said. “That’s what the NBA’s for; it’s the maybes and the entertainment part of it, the speculation. But you’re dealing with real people. And you’re dealing with not just their basketball game going from team X to team Y but possibly having to uproot their family and being pulled out of a situation that they like or don’t like.
“There’s so many parts to it. So, the anxiety that comes along potentially being part of a trade and trade deadline definitely weighs on a group around this time, for sure.”
For the Rockets, that can be especially truer given the slump toward the bottom of the standings dramatically changing the goals for the season. The Rockets have already made three in-season trades, the most for any team.
“I wouldn’t say I feel it, but it’s just another thing we deal with and is hanging over,” Silas said. “Obviously, there is a lot of speculation going around, not just with our team but with every team. Every team is kind of going through it. It’s a normal thing. I wouldn’t say it’s very tangible with our group. It’s for sure part of the anxiety prior to trade deadline and the exhale after trade deadline after the dust settles.”
Crowd gathers at point guard
The Rockets played their fourth game since the acquisition of D.J. Augustin gave them three point guards with a determination to play all three, often with two on the floor at the same time. But they have had all three in the same game just once, the day Augustin arrived.
Kevin Porter Jr. on Wednesday missed a third consecutive game with a sore right quad.
Rockets coach Stephen Silas said he does want to take advantage of having two playmakers on the court at the same time eventually.
“With John ( Wall), Kevin and D.J. there will be some lineups where either guy can bring it up the floor, we can initiate with one guy on one side and bring it to the other guy, get some sort of action,” Silas said.
“Actually, just put a play in a couple games ago where we swing it to the five man, get to action on the weakside. Regardless of who has it on the strong side, the other guy gets to touch it, gets to play pickand-roll on the other side.”
The goal he said is to not relegate any of the point guards to a role as a standstill shooter.
“I have been thinking a lot about that and making sure everybody is able to play to their strengths on and off the ball,” Silas said.