Houston Rockets
Knee-jerk move: Trading Jalen Green
The Houston Rockets have surprisingly been one of the most consistent teams in the Western Conference this season. I'm not sure if anyone expected the Rockets to be this good this quickly. Nevertheless, I'm still not comfortable in suggesting that the Rockets are here to stay in the West. Houston is still difficult to trust because of their youth and we still have to see what their ceiling is going to be this season. But for as good as the Rockets have looked, Jalen Green continues to struggle.
At this point, there could be a draw for the team to explore trading him at the deadline. However, because of how talented he is, I still believe it would be a bit premature. In theory, it has become quite clear that Green isn't a great fit for the Rockets. However, I still can't quit him. And it would be pretty crazy if the Rockets did. Green is a superb offensive talent and the Rockets should give him a bit more time to figure it all out. There could come a time when trading Green is the right move; I'm not sure we're quite there yet.
Indiana Pacers
Knee-jerk move: Trading Bennedict Mathurin
It's been everything but a banner start to the season for the Indiana Pacers. After their run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, the Pacers have left much to be desired so far this year. However, at least for now, it would be a bit surprising to see this team make huge changes after just the first 25-ish games of the season. It's pretty clear that the team is in a bad place, especially as the Tyrese Haliburton struggles continue. But you have to give an Eastern Conference Finals team a shot to figure it out before making a rash move.
If the Pacers wanted to go down that path, though, there is one bold move that they could explore - trading Bennedict Mathurin. As a player who may not necessarily fit the timeline of Haliburton and Pascal Siakam, trading Mathurin could be viewed as a way to solve the team's current issues. However, it could also be one that bites this team in the back in the long run. Trading Mathurin would be short-sighted and far from a certainty. At least for now, it's not something the Pacers should explore.