The deal
Rockets get: Bruno Caboclo, second-round pick
Grizzlies get: Jordan Bell, second-round pick
Get more trade grades for every deal here
Houston Rockets: B-
When the Rockets dealt away starting center Clint Capela in Tuesday's four-team deal, the assumption was they'd find some additional depth at center before the deadline. Not only did Houston not add anyone, the Rockets subtracted Bell, who seemed like an option to play center in switching lineups. That all suggests Caboclo is Houston's center help.
At 6-foot-9 with a reported 7-foot-7 wingspan, Caboclo does have center size. And his lack of bulk is less of an issue if the Rockets plan to switch everything. Caboclo has also shown some rim protection. While playing last season for Houston's G League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Caboclo averaged 3.0 blocks per game to rank second among all players before he was called up by the Grizzlies.
Offensively, Caboclo would fit with the Rockets' move toward playing five-out lineups with shooting at center. He hit 43% of his 3s on 158 attempts for Rio Grande Valley, a rate that isn't likely sustainable in the NBA (he shot 33.5% during his time in Memphis) but shows his potential.
Memphis Grizzlies: C+
For the Grizzlies, the incentive here seems to be the rights to swap the less favorable of second-round picks from Dallas and Miami coming in 2023 for Houston's -- provided the Rockets' pick isn't 31st or 32nd overall. (Daryl Morey continues to pioneer in terms of convoluted pick protections.)
After acquiring Gorgui Dieng as part of Thursday's three-team trade, Memphis has a fully stocked frontcourt, so it's hard to see how Bell will get on the court barring injury. Of course, the same was true with Caboclo, so this deal is probably an on-court wash for the Grizzlies.