The Houston Rockets have reportedly expressed ‘exploratory’ interest in Cleveland Cavaliers’ veteran JR Smith, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times.
The Rockets have expressed exploratory interest in acquiring JR Smith, according to league sources. Smith is currently on hiatus from the Cavaliers as Cleveland seeks a new home for the veteran shooting guard via trade
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) December 11, 2018
JR Smith hasn’t played a game for the Cavs since he departed from the team in mid-November. Since then, Cleveland has been looking for a suitable trade partner to comply with the veteran’s wishes of being traded.
The Rockets, on the other hand, are struggling as of late with three-straight losses. The team could use some added wing depth, as they only have James Ennis and Gerald Green at the small forward/shooting guard role.
When the Rockets failed to re-sign Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute in the offseason, it was expected that the team would not only lose depth but also take a huge dip defensively.
Last year, defensively, the team was in the top-10, allowing only 105.6 points per game. Houston currently has the 26th defensive-rated team in the NBA, giving up 112.2 points per game.
