Houston Rockets
Twenty-two games into the regular season, the Houston Rockets have been one of the more pleasant surprises in the Western Conference. They're 15-7 and have been the second-best or most consistent team in the West so far this season. But even with their early success, the argument can still be made that this team remains a couple of moves away from emerging as a true contender in the conference. Even if the Rockets finish as a top 4 seed in the West, it's going to be difficult to trust this team when the NBA Playoffs roll around.
Of course, that's unless they're able to make a bold move at the NBA Trade Deadline. If the Rockets are able to make a splash trade for a veteran star, all of that could change. And targeting a player like Brandon Ingram could make sense for a franchise that is beginning to turn the corner on their previous struggles. If the Rockets wanted to solidify themselves as a contender in the Western Conference, making a move for Ingram leading up to the trade deadline would make a whole lot of sense.
What a trade may look like: Considering the amount of young talent that the Rockets have on their roster, this is a deal that could seemingly come together for both sides. Houston's biggest issue would revolve around finding the salary to match what Ingram is making this season, but there are several paths toward making a deal work. The Rockets could use the expiring contracts of Jeff Green and Steven Adams to get close to the figure they need from a financial perspective and then include a young player or two to get the deal done.
No matter what the Pelicans would be looking for in terms of compensation, there's a good chance that the Rockets would be able to meet the demands. If the Rockets wanted to make a big splash and potentially skip another couple of steps, Ingram is the type of trade target that would make sense leading up to the deadline. Even though it may not seem that way on the surface, he's certainly the type of player who can alter the ceiling for the Rockets in the long run.