Report: Rockets brought in Luc Mbah a Moute for a workout

Houston reportedly brought in former defensive ace Luc Mbah a Moute for a workout this week. If signed, he would be playoff eligible.

The Houston Rockets brought in free agent forward Luc Mbah a Moute for a workout on Wednesday, according to The Athletic‘s Kelly Iko.

Mbah a Moute has not played for an NBA team this season, so he would be eligible for the playoffs, if the Rockets were to sign him. The recent March 1 deadline was for players on other teams to be waived, in order to maintain playoff eligibility for their new team.

Best known for his defense, the versatile 6-foot-8 forward played 25.6 minutes per game with the Rockets in the 2017-18 season. He averaged 7.5 points, including 36.4% on 3-pointers. Houston went 65-17 as a team that year, which was by far the best mark in franchise history.

Mbah a Moute had a 101.7 defensive rating with the 2017-18 Rockets, which was best on the team among consistent rotation players.

But Mbah a Moute dislocated his right shoulder twice during that season, with the second incident occurring in the second-to-last game. That injury limited his availability and effectiveness in the playoffs.

Then, after signing with the Clippers before the 2018-19 season, a knee injury limited him to only four games. Now 33 years old, Mbah a Moute hasn’t played with any team in 2019-20, which means he’s played in just four NBA games over the last two seasons combined.

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Thus, between the normal aging curve for an NBA player and his own personal history with injuries, it’s not clear whether Mbah a Moute is still the same player physically as he was two seasons ago. That could explain why the Rockets brought him in for a workout, as they try to gauge.

If healthy, Mbah a Moute seems to be an ideal fit for the frontcourt emphasis of the Rockets (39-21), who are prioritizing versatile defenders such as P.J. Tucker and Robert Covington ahead of traditional centers.

Houston’s roster is completely full at the moment with 15 players, so if Mbah a Moute were to be signed, someone else would need to be released. However, based on their moves at the trade deadline, they could release a player and sign Mbah a Moute while still staying beneath the luxury tax. As a result, it’s unlikely to be a financial decision.

It’s primarily a matter of how much Mbah a Moute still has left, physically. The answer is unclear, but the move by the Rockets to bring him in for a workout shows that they’re curious to find out.

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