NBA Trade Rumors: 7 veterans who could help a contender

4. P.J. Tucker, Houston Rockets

P.J. Tucker’s divorce from the Houston Rockets feels all but inevitable.

In November, Kelly Iko, Sam Amick and Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Tucker had been “irate over his contract situation” throughout the 2019-20 season. He reportedly “felt insulted by Houston’s decision to delay extension discussions and wait until after the Feb. 6 trade deadline to guarantee his 2020-21 salary,” and he has still yet to sign an extension.

As the Rockets move further into their post-James Harden era, they’ll continue to reinvent themselves around younger players such as Christian Wood. That means older veterans like Tucker have no long-term place on the team.

The soon-to-be 36-year-old seems like a near-certainty to leave Houston when he becomes a free agent this offseason. The Rockets might as well flip him at the trade deadline to get something for him rather than losing him for nothing in free agency.

Although Tucker won’t provide much offensively beyond the occasional catch-and-shoot 3-pointer, his defensive versatility would make him an invaluable addition to any contender’s frontcourt. He’s spent plenty of time as a small-ball 5 in Houston, although he could defend a variety of opposing wings and forwards, too.

Most contenders shouldn’t have trouble matching salaries for Tucker’s $8.0 million expiring contract, which makes him one of the top targets to keep an eye on heading into the trade deadline.