The Rockets have been lacking a quality 3D player in the forward position these seasons, and coach Silas had to let Gordon play in this position, but Gordon was not tall enough, and then Tate and Martin Jr. both played as starting small forwards, but they both had shortcomings, Tate's projection ability was not good, Martin Jr. could not keep up with the backcourt players, and the two of them were characterized by being good at moving between the 3rd and 4th positions, and could play multiple positions instead of traditional 3D types of players. The Rockets' goal next season is to make the playoffs, head coach Silas' team lacks an offensive and defensive player, and now the league is a striker, each strong team in the league has one or two strong 3D players, the Rockets do not have a good 3D player, it is really difficult for the team to be competitive next season.
The Rockets sent away Eric Gordon and Matthews before the trade deadline, and coach Sellars desperately needed to add projections to the roster, according to Houston Chronicle reporter Jonathan Fagan, Rockets general manager Stone has set his sights on Hawks 3D shooter DeAndre Hunt. The specific plan of the deal is: the Rockets send Porter Jr. + Ethan + Tate to get the Hawks' DeAndre Hunt.
Hunter is 25 years old, 2.03 meters tall, 2.15 meters in arm span, weighs 100 kilograms, and is a swinging guard who has played 31.9 minutes per game this season, averaging 15.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 35.9 percent from three-point range. He has top physicality, excellent shooting ability, although the shooting speed is not fast, but the shooting feel is soft, and the choice between sudden shots is very reasonable. On the offensive end, he is a true player with and without the ball, inside and out; On the defensive end, he often has to face the opposing most offensive players, which has led to a significant improvement in his defensive ability. During the Harden period, the Rockets never lacked good talent in the forward position, PJ Tucker, Ariza and Covington are among the best, but the team is currently facing a situation of youth and yellow in the small forward position, Ethan has not fully grown, Tate has poor shooting ability, and head coach Silas does not have more available people. Hunter is outstanding in many aspects such as age, comprehensive strength, and technical comprehensiveness, and if he can go to Houston, it will bring a qualitative improvement to the overall strength of the Rockets.
Ethan is 2.03 meters tall, has an arm span of 2.19 meters, weighs 98 kilograms, plays a small forward/power forward on the court, averages 17.6 minutes per game with the Rockets this season, contributes 8.1 points, 5 rebounds and 1 steal, and shoots 36.3% from three-point range. He shot just 24.1 percent from three-point range as a freshman and 35.9 percent in his sophomore year, and 36.3 percent with the Rockets this season. He is a player who is always energetic to play, especially active in rebounding, extremely strong on the defensive end, and accustomed to doing dirty work, which makes him a player that coaches like very much. 伊森最大的缺点是篮下终结能力较差，防守喜欢赌博式抢断，好在他还年轻未来还有很大的上升空间，未来有机会成为联盟一流的3D前锋。
Porter Jr. averaged 33.9 minutes per game this season, averaging 19.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.3 steals, and shot 34.6 percent from three-point range. Porter Jr. has made great strides on the offensive end this season, but he's not a qualified playmaker, which makes him struggle with the Rockets. Porter Jr., the No. 30 rookie in 2019, was traded to the Rockets by the Cavaliers in January 2021 for locker room reasons, and Porter Jr. signed a four-year $82.5 million contract with the Rockets in the offseason, but this new contract extension is only fully guaranteed for the first season, and the next three seasons are partially guaranteed. Porter Jr.'s biggest problem is that it's easy to get emotional when playing, and if you use him well, he is a sharp knife on the offense, and if you don't use him well, you are the most inconsistent factor in the locker room.
Tate is 1.95 meters tall, has an arm span of 2.06 meters, weighs 104 kilograms, plays a professional power forward/small forward on the court, averaged 24.6 minutes per game last season, can get 11.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1 steal, shooting 50% from the field, he has a strong body, tough character, always energetic on the court, plays passionately, and is a highly influential player. 火箭队当年送走塔克之后，泰特凭借着落选秀的身份一举杀进首发阵容，凭借着出色的发挥，最终成功入选了当年的最佳新秀一阵，他的打球风格和塔克有很多相似的地方，泰特绝对是目前联盟性价比超高的3D球员之一，老鹰队得到泰特之后可以增加球队的防守能力。
Why did the Rockets make this deal?
The Rockets have given the impression this season that the players on the court have a strong desire to attack, but no one is focused on organizing the tandem, the defensive end is also siloed, and the whole team lacks integrity. Rockets fans have been looking forward to Harden returning to Houston to control the big picture, he is the league's assist king this season, he is responsible for organizing the tandem, and believes that the offensive efficiency of Jaylen Green, Shenjing, Jabari Smith Jr. and others can be significantly improved. Harden's affection for the Rockets speaks for itself, and he considers Houston his home and returns every year for training or charity events. However, even if Harden has the intention to return, but in the current composition of the Rockets' roster, there is no attraction, the team only targeted reinforcement, so that Harden sees the hope of entering the playoffs, so that the team can attract Harden and attract the attention of stars.
Why did the Eagles make this trade?
The Hawks' record this season is worrying, the current winning percentage is still less than 50%, Hunter's performance is also decent, not making the desired progress, and with the rapid rise of AJ Griffin, his life in Atlanta is getting more and more difficult. There was nothing wrong with the Hawks' offense, but the team's defense was disastrous. In addition to Capela, the rest of the players have no bright spots in defense, they are all offensive and weak ability, especially the star Trae Young, Porter Jr., Tate, Ethan are all players with good defense, their arrival can enhance the team's defensive ability, so that the team is both offensive and defensive.