Houston Rockets Expected to Make NBA Draft Trade

The 2025 NBA Draft is widely considered to be one of the most impactful in recent years. After a 2024 class that received little to no hype ahead of draft night, this year features franchise-altering potential, headlined by Cooper Flagg, of course.

While most of the buzz follows Flagg, and for good reason, the rest of the class features mostly freshmen and sophomores from the NCAA with immense potential. Prospects like Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe, Ace Bailey, and more have a great chance to headline the next generation of NBA stars.

Lucky for the Houston Rockets, they own the No. 10 pick in the draft, originally coming from the Phoenix Suns. After a 52-30 regular season, the Rockets have the chance to draft yet another young prospect to bolster the roster. Prospects such as Derik Queen, Collin Murray-Boyles, and Kasparas Jakucionis have been linked to Houston.

However, the organization has been forced to draft and stash talent over the last two years or so. In 2024, the Rockets took Reed Sheppard at No. 3 overall, but the guard averaged just 12.6 minutes across 52 games. A similar thing can be said for 2023 draftee Cam Whitmore, whose minutes dipped from 18.7 to 16.2 per game this year. There simply isn't enough room for talent in the current rotation.

Consequently, Houston is projected to make a draft-day trade, according to a recent article from Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes. The Rockets are the second-highest team expected to make a deal, behind the Brooklyn Nets, and ahead of the Charlotte Hornets, San Antonio Spurs, and Oklahoma City Thunder.

"The Houston Rockets' sheer volume of assets, combined with the trade chatter already rising in volume, makes them a no-brainer draft-night needle-mover," Hughes wrote.

"The three-year, $105 million extension Jalen Green signed last summer seemed designed to be traded, and Alperen Sengün is now an All-Star on a sub-max contract. Throw in a glut of players on rookie-scale deals, the No. 10 pick in the draft and a heap of incoming future firsts headlined by Phoenix's unprotected 2027 selection, and Houston has every imaginable trade tool at its disposal.

"With a defense that is already elite and a need for a star-level scoring upgrade, the Rockets are primed for a blockbuster. Don't be surprised if they pull one off on draft night."

The Rockets have long been linked to superstars such as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant, according to multiple reports. With the amount of assets Houston has to offer, the team is more likely to engage in talks regarding the No. 10 overall pick than not.