Though Houston’s trade return from Miami for Victor Oladipo looks a bit underwhelming, part of the apparent motivation for the Rockets was based on something that wasn’t in the final package from the Heat.
Per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, the Rockets made the deadline move — as opposed to keeping Oladipo and trying to move him in an offseason sign-and-trade — because they wanted to give more playing time to 20-year-old guard Kevin Porter Jr. alongside John Wall.
The Rockets made the trade because they have prioritized starting Kevin Porter Jr. in a backcourt with John Wall and giving Porter consistent playing time, according to two individuals with knowledge of the team’s thinking.
Moving Oladipo became an essential part of that plan. That also could indicate that after 20 increasingly disappointing games, they decided they were not going to pursue keeping Oladipo as a free agent, leading to the decision to get what they could for him at the deadline.
New #Rockets at #TXSN – Rockets go from James Harden to Victor Oladipo to … what, praytell? https://t.co/9xuEX2xPqz
— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) March 26, 2021
In seven games with the Rockets, Porter — a first-round pick from the NBA’s 2019 draft — is averaging 14.9 points and 6.4 assists in 29.1 minutes per game. He started four of those seven games, but only when at least one of Oladipo and Wall was sidelined.
While the 6-foot-4 guard has largely played at point guard in Houston, the recent trade acquisition of DJ Augustin would presumably allow Porter to play the majority of his minutes at shooting guard.
The Rockets felt they needed to move Victor Oladipo now so they could clear the way to develop Kevin Porter Jr. for the rest of the season, per source. Ultimately that combined with the return (while disappointing) being better than a sign-and-trade return is why they dealt him.
— ClutchFans (@clutchfans) March 25, 2021
