Fitting Bradley Beal and Otto Porter Jr. on the Rockets

Just when you thought that it couldn’t get any worse in D.C., things got so much worse.

Early Monday afternoon, the story broke that the 11th-place Wizards are willing to shop everyone on their roster, and that does mean everyone. John Wall, Bradley Beal, Kelly Oubre Jr.- Nobody is safe. And that could be really good news for the Rockets.

I’m not going to be one to say I told you so, but I did call it. Collapsing teams means desperation. And desperation means it’s time to clean house.

For Houston, they should set their eyes on on two key pieces: Beal and Otto Porter Jr. Not only would both fit well in their arsenal, bu even though they’re both on max deals, their contracts are manageable.

Honestly, it’d be hard to go wrong with either, but how would they fit?

Keep in mind in both scenarios, Brandon Knight and Eric Gordon have to be/should be gone in return. They’re assets, and the Rockets have to unload the money in their contracts to make room for either player.

At 6’8”, Otto Porter would be just the guy that the Rockets have been looking for all along. With his size, Porter can pick up positions two through four on any given night. He won’t necessarily be the Rockets’ primary defender, but he’s perfect for the Rockets’ “switch on everything” defense. His athletic ability allows him to keep up with little guys. His length and strength means he can hold his own on forwards.

On offense, Porter’s a career 40-percent three-point shooter, so he can stretch the floor. Even though he’s experiencing a down year from behind the arc- let’s face it, everyone’s numbers are a little down on the Wizards- he’s still knocking them down at 36-percent. The good news is that he’s shooting 46-percent from the field, and he’s having a lot of success when he’s in the paint and from mid-range. Porter’s athleticism and scoring versatility brings a much-needed breath of fresh air for the Rockets’ offense. If given the right amount of space and a prolific scoring role like Gordon’s, his numbers would shoot way up.

Far and away, acquiring Bradley Beal for Gordon, Knight, Marquese Chriss, and maybe a pick, would be a steal. In reality, the only issue would be whether or not you start him. At 6’5”, Beal is a guard through and through, but he could possibly start at small forward in today’s game. The perfect situation would to bring him off the bench, much like they do Gordon. In fact, Beal averages just a little over two more minutes a game than Gordon does at 33.8 MPG, so it’s not like he’d be playing bench minutes. I’m getting ahead of myself here.

Starter or not, this situation is one you’d love to be in if you’re Houston. For one, you don’t really have to think of a role for him because he’d be doing what Gordon does for Houston, but- and I hate to say it- better. He’s a primary ball-handler, and he’s most likely your first or second option when’s he on the floor. Beal is a premiere scorer and a knock-down shooter. He averages a career 39-percent from the three-point line, and that’s fantastic for a guy who averages over seven a game for the past three seasons. Beal’s also averaging an incredible 72-percent on shots at the rim- that’s better than James Harden’s average this season, and by a lot. He’s athletic, only 25, and he’s locked into his contract for the next two seasons. Not to mention, he’s an underrated defender. Beal’s match ups are averaging only 37-percent against him. He would be the total package for the Rockets.

While the Wizards are willing to hear offers, who’s to say what they’ll actually take for either player. Otto Porter Jr. is super young with a huge upside. Bradley Beal is an All-Star and go-to guy. The Rockets might have to give up some more than they would like and maybe take on a bad contract or two, but it could all be worth it if Daryl Morey strikes up the right move.

Just please don’t take Dwight Howard in a deal.