LOS ANGELES — The Rockets were not trying to win the trade.

They knew but did not care that many would draw that conclusion about a deal that sent out the team’s only center who plays, considered worthy of a $90 million contract a year ago.

But the Rockets believe they improved their chances to win something much more significant.

After sending Clint Capela to the Atlanta Hawks to bring in Robert Covington from the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Rockets’ only trade deadline day move was to deal Jordan Bell — who had been acquired in the Covington trade — to the Memphis Grizzlies for Bruno Caboclo, a 6-foot-9 forward.

The Rockets for months had been trying to get Caboclo, who was in their training camp last season, coming close the day they waived Gary Clark.

But the move to reshape their roster, and they believe their championship chances, was made official Wednesday with the Rockets going all-in on playing small with Covington replacing Capela in their rotation and 6-foot-5 P.J. Tucker becoming their starting center.

“Pretty straight forward. The best way to play with our stars that we feel is the one that gives us the best chance to win the championship is with a stretch four, playing up-tempo, shooting and wing defenders,” Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said. “Robert Covington was for sure the best one available.”

Though they had moved to the small lineups because of Capela’s heel injury, Morey said he had been trying to acquire Covington throughout the season. The Rockets had become convinced that the spacing that comes by filling the court with range shooting helps make Russell Westbrook more dangerous attacking the rim and helps James Harden.

“It was nice to win with key players out,” Morey said of Westbrook missing two of those five small-ball games with Harden out in one of those as well. “We’ve been high on Covington for quite a while. It really wasn’t us holding that up. There were a lot of suitors for him. We finally found a deal that worked.”

The Rockets have won their past four games playing with small lineups, save the nine minutes center Isaiah Hartenstein has played. They were 10-1 this season in games Capela missed.

In their recent games playing small, the Rockets have struggled on the boards in the first half but rebounded well in the second half. They have dramatically decreased their turnovers while increasing their steals. And they became convinced that the improvement they needed most was on defense, making them covet Covington even more.

“He’s very good off the ball, knowing how to position himself, anticipates, gets steals, denies passing lanes,” Morey said. “On the ball, he’s a guy who can honestly take the ball from someone (like Kawhi Leonard does). He’s somebody who really fits how coach (Mike) D’Antoni wants to play.”

The Rockets have two roster spots open and could be active in the buyout market. They have only a relatively small portion of their mid-level exception, about $1.35 million, remaining to offer, but could offer the prorated portion of a veteran’s minimum as with Austin Rivers and Kenneth Faried last season.

For the second consecutive season, the Rockets’ deadline deals moved them under the luxury tax threshold, though this time they didn’t spend assets for that purpose.

Though many of the other Western Conference playoff teams — the Lakers, Jazz, Mavericks and Thunder — did not make a move, the Clippers made a significant addition with a deal for forward Marcus Morris.

The Rockets spent the deadline looking for a potential rotation piece, regardless of position, though a center who fits their move to range shooting would have had a greater chance to get minutes.

Caboclo, 24, has been a forward, though at 6-9 with a 7-foot-7 wingspan and potential as a range shooter, he could have a chance to earn playing time. He has been out with a sore left knee, making him likely unavailable until after the All-Star break.

Yet even while dealing their starting center, the Rockets did not move anyone who was healthy, with the addition of Covington expected to immediately boost their rotation.

The Rockets, while knowing that their latest foray into the unconventional will inspire doubts and even criticism, believe they are a better team after their deals even without landing a replacement center.

“We feel comfortable with the roster as it is,” Morey said. “We have at least 10 Mike is comfortable putting on the floor to win big-time playoff games.”

jonathan.feigen@chron.com

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