All indications point to the Houston Rockets doing everything necessary to return to the playoffs next season and that roster overhaul could include trading their top current player in order to acquire an All-Star.
After dealing James Harden three years ago, the Rockets have tried to rebuild their roster the old-fashioned way. Through the NBA Draft and player development. That has been an obvious failure. The first-round pick core of Jalen Green, Kevin Porter Jr. and Jabari Smith delivered poor results this season.
The direction of the team was clear early in the season and that is why rumors of the organization trying to bring back James Harden in free agency began back in December and have persisted. Forking over a chunk of their available cap space to the aging great is not the only route they have to reimagine the team this summer.
The Rockets could swing a blockbuster trade, as suggested by Yahoo Sports NBA insider Jake Fischer on Friday. Fischer also posited that 2021 No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green — the team’s best player right now — could be dangled in pursuit of a blockbuster trade.
Assuming that is the case — and it seems likely and could be necessary to acquire a proven star — here are four players the Houston Rockets could target with an offering that includes Jalen Green and a top-five pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Jaylen Brown
The best-case scenario would be for the Houston Rockets to land Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown. But how the team performs in this year’s playoffs will decide how they proceed this summer. Brown has made it clear he will test free agency after next season and that Boston may not be his long-term preference.
If the Celtics are shockingly bounced in the second round or by the Knicks or Heat in the conference finals, they could look to avoid losing Brown for nothing by getting a pretty strong return that includes Green and maybe the top pick in the year’s draft.
Bradley Beal
The Washington Wizards really need to blow things up, but there is still no clear indication they will this summer. If they finally come to their senses, going after Bradley Beal would make a lot of sense for the Houston Rockets. While there are obvious injury concerns, Beal is younger than Harden and was great when on the court last season.
Zach LaVine
It seems likely the Chicago Bulls could part with Zach LaVine or DeMar DeRozan this offseason. While DeRozan remains an elite talent, LaVine has far more long-term upside for an interested team. He is only 28 years old, a two-time All-Star and an automatic 20-plus point scorer wherever he goes. LaVine and Harden — assuming they sign him — could be a good starting point for Houston next season.
Karl-Anthony Towns
While it seems likely the Minnesota Timberwolves will give the trio of Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert and Anthony Edwards another chance, they could also decide that they would be improved moving on from him before the start of the final year on his contract. Green would be a good return for Minnesota and take them away from a big frontcourt, giving them a more modern -- and stellar -- swingman combo
Plus, if the Rockets sign Harden, he and Towns could be the poor version of what he and Joel Embiid were this season in Philly and that’s pretty good.
More must-reads: