Podcast: As Trade Deadline Passes, Rockets Limp to All-Star Break

With widespread injuries up and down the roster (led by three starters in Jabari Smith Jr., Fred VanVleet, and Alperen Sengun), the Houston Rockets aren't at their best in February 2025, as evidenced by six losses in their last seven games.

At the same time, the Rockets (33-20) also had a relatively quiet in-season trade deadline window, with general manager Rafael Stone only making a pair of moves to acquire future second-round NBA draft capital. With that in mind, Tuesday's podcast episode of The Lager Line (sponsored by Karbach Brewing) explores why the timing wasn't quite right for Houston to make a big splash, along with insight on why better days should soon be ahead for the on-court product.