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Veteran forward P.J. Tucker remained sidelined as a healthy scratch on Thursday vs. the Sacramento Kings. The Houston Rockets have not yet found a trade destination for Tucker, who has grown more and more frustrated a deal hasn’t happened, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported late Thursday night. So this could be a precursor to a Tucker trade. The NBA Trade Deadline is just about two weeks away on Thursday, March 25.
Reporting w/ @espn_macmahon: As Rockets continue to discuss deals with several teams, P.J. Tucker is a healthy scratch vs. Kings and remains frustrated that he hasn’t been moved to a contender, sources said. It's unclear when Tucker will return to lineup before March 25 deadline.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 12, 2021
The Rockets have already shipped out All-Star James Harden to the Brooklyn Nets a few months back. Houston traded away All-Star Russell Westbrook before the season even started. With those two out of town, it was clear the team is ready to go through a lengthy rebuild process. This is what has forced Tucker to want out, preferring competitive basketball over taking constant Ls.
There’s a chance Tucker remains out for the next two weeks as the Rockets mull through potential offers before the deadline. The veteran could get a ton of interest from contending teams, but most of those teams will weigh their options and stay patient up until March 25. So Tucker may have to wait a bit to get back on the court. Tucker is only making just under $8M this season on an expiring contract. He’s the perfect player to add if you’re a contender.
Tucker brings experience having played in big games for the Rockets in the past. He can play and guard multiple positions and can occasionally knock down a 3-pointer. Tucker is also a good locker room guy and appears to be popular around the League (because of his shoe obsession of course). So this means Tucker could command interest from teams like the Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, the list will likely be long for Tucker.