The Houston Rockets are currently 17-9, tied for the third seed in the western conference. If they continue at this pace and finish with a top four seed, they will exceed expectations in a major way.

My “Hot Take” before the season was that the Rockets would be playoff team. Now, that take looks to be on the mild side. Houston is already looking like a playoff lock, can they crash the title contender party?

One of the major ingredients to being a title contender is having a good to great defense. Houston has a great defense, they are only allowing 106.1 points per game, which is fourth best in the league.

A team takes on the personality of their head coach and this team screams toughness and physicality. Ime Udoka is known for his no non-sense attitude and holding his players accountable. This translates to his teams playing great defense.

Toughness and physicality can only take you so far on the offensive end of the floor, though. This is where Houston has room to improve. They are scoring 112.1 points per game, which is 16th in the league.

This is not bad but against the better defensive teams, their offense tends to stall out. On Saturday, Houston lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 111-96, in the semi-final of the NBA Cup. The Rockets shot 36% from the floor and 23% from three point range.

This type of poor shooting is typical for a Rockets loss. In their nine losses they shot 39% from the floor and 30% from three. In their 17 wins, they shot 46% from the floor and 33% from three.

Houston’s scoring is an ensemble effort. They have seven players who are averaging double figures for the Rockets. The leading scorers are Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun, Green averages 19 points and Sengun averages 18.6 points per game.

The biggest issue with this team’s offense is the lack of a go-to scorer. The go-to scorer is supposed to be Green but he simply has not been good enough. Green is shooting 39% from the floor on 16 field goal attempts per game and 31% from the three on 7.7 attempts per game.

The number one option on a championship contending team has to be better than that. Now, Green is still young and has shown the potential to be a more efficient scorer but has never done it for a sustained period of time.

Green is not alone in his inefficiency, Fred VanVleet has also not been good enough on the offensive end of the floor. He is averaging 15.3 points and 6 assists per game while shooting 37% from the floor and 30% from three point range.

For the Rockets to truly be championship contenders, they need more scoring punch from the perimeter. Is it too early for the Rockets to make a championship trade? If not, what are the trade options for Houston?

The Trade Options

Taking the Bull by the Horns

Houston Receives: Zach Lavine

Chicago Receives: Fred VanVleet, 2025 and 2027 unprotected first round picks

Zach Lavine has been a part of trade rumors for what seems like forever and now the Bulls are in a position where getting rid of him for future assets would be smart. Lavine and VanVleet have very similar salaries which makes this an easy trade to make.

The Bulls would get a veteran point guard with championship experience along with two future draft picks while the Rockets will get a true number one option while not losing any of their best defenders.

Lavine is averaging 21.7 points per game in an extremely efficient manner, shooting 50% from the floor and 42% from three point range. That’s the type of efficiency that could help improve the Rockets offense in an explosive manner.

The Big Easy Deal

Houston Receives: Brandon Ingram

New Orleans Receives: Dillon Brooks, Jeff Green, and a 2025 first round pick

It has been widely reported that the New Orleans Pelicans are willing to part ways with Brandon Ingram, C.J. McCollum, and/or Zion Williamson. Ingram so far this season is averaging 22.2 points and 5.2 assists per game, while shooting 46% from the floor and 37% from three point range.

Ingram would be a great option to score in difficult situations, while also being an additional playmaker. The Pelicans would add the toughness and attitude of Dillon Brooks and pick up a draft pick.

The Big Easy Option Number 2

Houston Receives: Brandon Ingram and C.J. McCollum

New Orleans Receives: Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet

C.J. McCollum is currently having a down season from an efficiency standpoint. He is shooting 44% from the field and 33% from three. The Rockets would have to take a chance on McCollum getting back to his shooting numbers of last season.

Last season, McCollum shot 46% from the floor and 43% from three point range while scoring 20 points per game. That version of McCollum along with Ingram would transform Houston’s offense while still keeping the integrity of the defense.

The playoffs are the ultimate test for teams as they play against quality opponents four to seven times. When teams play against each other that much, there are no more surprises. Teams have to be able to execute at a high level and be able to score when their opponent makes it tough for them to run their set plays. That’s where a true number one option comes in handy.

Right now, the Rockets are a good team that will be a tough out in the playoffs due to their defense but other teams who play defense at a high level will be able to limit Houston’s offense in a major way.

Should the Rockets continue to build the chemistry of this current roster or make a big move to improve their consistency on the offensive end?