Houston Rockets Will have Trade Options Should They Choose

It’s not often star point guards are available on the trade market, but that’s exactly the case in this year’s NBA.

In recent weeks, the prospect of both Grizzlies’ star Ja Morant and Hornets’ star LaMelo Ball landing with new teams this season has surfaced. 

Morant has been a long-time star for the Grizzlies, formerly leading them to wins in the West with high-octane athleticism and a dash of play-making. Ball hasn’t helped the Hornets to exit the launchpad in his career, but has shown obvious star prowess in scoring and passing the ball.

Morant’s trade rumors have died down along with his short spat with Memphis’ head coach Tuomas lisalo, and Ball has outright said he loves Charlotte. But those things don’t necessarily mean that moving on wouldn’t be the right move for the respective organizations.

Both the Grizzlies and Hornets are at near-standstills within their conferences. Memphis is just 6-12, off to another underwhelming start, and the Hornets seem to be aiming for another top draft pick at 4-13, while Kon Knueppel is seeing one of the best starts to a career in sometime.

Suffice it to say, if the right deal was on the table, both Memphis and Charlotte would be hard-pressed not to accept.

Enter the Rockets.

Houston is on the opposite end of the success spectrum, boasting an 11-4 record through the early part of the season. They’re one of the best teams in the league, hosting stars like Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun, as well as a bevy of talented defenders and scorers that make up a tough play every night.

Despite their success, the Rockets have been without a true lead guard this season, as veteran Fred VanVleet went down with an ACL injury in an offseason workout that is likely to keep him out all season.

Houston has looked a contender, but many won’t take them seriously as a threat to OKC or Denver in the West without a point guard. And there’s some merit to that, despite how good Sengun is as a play-maker.

It seems Morant and Ball would be gettable, and could be potentially impactful in tandem with the current win-now roster. Morant would add a player that could collapse the defense and grant easy dimes to others, while Ball could unlock teammates who are seemingly more than one pass away.

That’s not to say that Houston should make a move for the aforementioned players. In all likelihood, they rightfully stand pat, gain experience this year and await VanVleet’s return. But it seems the option is there, and that's something to monitor as the team continues through the regular season.