Report: Houston Rockets sign PJ Tucker to 4-year, $32 million deal

The Houston Rockets got a much-needed defensive stopper for great value when they inked PJ Tucker to a four-year contract.

The Golden State Warriors’ dominance last season didn’t scare off the rest of the Western Conference — it motivated them. The NBA’s logical solution to this superteam is to build more superteams, and no team has gone for it more so far than the Houston Rockets.

They may have gutted their bench and their G-League team for Chris Paul, but it was worth it. This signing will feel incredibly low-key compared to that trade, but it might end up just as important to them. PJ Tucker brings the relentless tenacity on defense that the Rockets lacked at so many points last season.

According to Shams Charania, Tucker will average $8 million over four years:

Nobody really expected Tucker to earn more than that because of his offensive shortcomings. The most points he has averaged in a season is 9.4, and the only way he can seemingly score is by hitting a corner 3. But the Rockets didn’t acquire Tucker for his offense, as they already have a ton of that in their lineup.

Houston does, however, contain a lot of defensive liabilities. Chief among them is James Harden, whose defensive highlights have become something of a running joke in the NBA. But in Tucker, the Rockets have acquired a player who can come off the bench and take off some of the heavy load that Trevor Ariza has to carry.

In his brief time as a member of the Toronto Raptors, Tucker established himself as a massive fan favorite. He was as lovable as Bismack Biyombo in a third of the time. His last game for the Raptors was a 46-minute effort in which he spent most of his time glued to LeBron James.

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Tucker doesn’t make the Rockets better than the Warriors, but it gives them a great piece they can use to bolster their defense. Red Nation will love him.