Analyzing the Rockets’ Trade Chips

As someone who’s spent years crunching numbers for Premier League clubs, I can’t help but apply the same ruthless efficiency to NBA roster analysis. Let’s dissect the Houston Rockets’ trade assets with the cold precision of a Python script (though I promise fewer syntax errors).

The Methodology Behind the Madness

I’ve weighted three key factors:

1. Current production (PER, WS/48)
2. Upside potential (age, athletic metrics)
3. Contract value (dollars per win share)

The Top 6 Trade Assets

1. Amen Thompson This athletic marvel tops our list despite his raw offense. At 6’7” with elite defensive versatility, he’s exactly what contenders covet. His 2.3% steal rate would make him valuable even if he shot free throws underhand.

2. Alperen Şengün The Turkish big man’s offensive arsenal (18.3 PPG, 53.4% FG) makes him a rare commodity. But his defense keeps him from the top spot - modern NBA centers need to switch like Wi-Fi passwords.

3. Jabari Smith Jr. The prototypical stretch four shoots 36% from deep while guarding multiple positions. His value? Higher than his father’s vertical was in the ‘00s.

4. Tari Eason An analytics darling with a +5.1 net rating, Eason is the human embodiment of ‘does all the little things.’ Contenders would trade their G-League affiliate for this kind of glue guy.

5. Jalen Green Yes, the scoring flashes are tantalizing (22/4/4 last season), but efficiency matters. Shooting 42% as a guard in today’s NBA is like bringing a flip phone to CES.

6. Reed Sheppard The rookie lands here purely on potential after shooting 52% from three in college. Small sample size? Sure. But have you seen Kentucky guards lately?

Honorable Mentions

The veterans - Dillon Brooks and Fred VanVleet - provide stability but lack the upside that drives premium returns. Steven Adams is essentially a $12M expiring rebounding machine.

So there you have it - one data analyst’s take on Houston’s most movable pieces. Agree? Disagree? Let me know which Rocket you’d sell high on right now.