After the Rockets beat the Grizzlies twice, their record improved to 13-9 and moved up to sixth place in the West, and their next opponent will be the Bucks on the road, because this game is the second game of the Bucks' back-to-back, so the Rockets are not without hope of winning. The Rockets have a decent record this season, but they have struggled on the offensive end, with no player on the team averaging more than 20 points. Shin Kyung has been underperforming lately as other teams have adopted more targeted defenses, causing him to be less effective on the offensive end. Jalen Green is even worse in form, he has been out of the system for many games in a row, and Udoka is helpless about it. The Rockets are currently averaging 109 per gameWith 5 points ranked fourth from the bottom in the league, general manager Rafael Stone is in desperate need of a reliable pitcher to add to the roster.
Recently, according to the American media "NBAANALYSIS", the top management of the Rockets, Kings and Raptors teams negotiated around a three-way deal**, if the negotiations go well, the Kings are expected to get the top 3D Anunoby, and Barnes will be sent to Houston as a bargaining chip, the specific transaction plan is: 1. The Rockets sent Jock Landale + Victor Oladipo + 2024 Warriors second-round pick + 2024 Rockets second-round pick to get Harrison Barnes;2. The Kings sent Harrison Barnes + 2026 Kings first-round pick + 2028 Kings first-round pick + 2030 first-round pick swap rights to get OG Anunoby;3. The Raptors sent OG Anunoby to get Victor Oladipo + Jock Landale + 2 first-round picks + 2 second-round picks + 1 first-round swap.
Barnes is 31 years old and 203 meters, arm span 211 meters, weighing 102 kilograms, playing as a power forward and small forward on the court, he has played 23 games for the Kings this season, averaging 111 point 33 rebounds 15 assists and 37 three-point shooting5%。He has solid basic skills, rich offensive means, clean and neat ball style, simple and efficient dribbling movements, shooting without too much preparation time, good at playing without the ball, and good at seizing opportunities to shoot in open positions. Defensively, he moves well and is able to defend players in multiple positions, but his rebounding and blocking abilities are poor. Overall, Barnes is a strong offensive and defensive player, and Udoka can use him as a functional player, and his superb shooting skills can help the Rockets improve their offensive firepower.
The Kings already have a lot of quality after acquiring Sabonis Jr. and Fox, an in-form All-Star point guard, but if they want to go further in the playoffs, strengthening the forward line will be a top priority for team management. Anunoby is an upgraded version of Barnes, averaging 32 games per game this season8 minutes, contribution 155 points 43 rebounds and 26 assists and 1 steal, shooting 39% from three-point range. He's younger than Barnes, he's in better physical condition, he's tougher and he's more prominent on the defensive end. Anunoby's addition promises to take the Kings to another level of overall strength, and he has grown into one of the league's top 3-and-D players in Toronto.
The Raptors have had a terrible season and currently sit in 11th place in the East with a 10-15 record and little hope of qualifying for the playoffs. General manager Ujeri is no longer insisting on demanding sky-high prices from players such as Siakam and Anunoby, and multiple teams across the league are closely watching the Raptors' movements in the free agent market, which is likely to tear down the rebuild before the trade deadline. The deal is in line with general manager Ugeri's expectations for Anunoby's trade, as he has a player option and he actually only has half a year left on his contract, so Ugeri has no reason to force Anunoby to stay.