NBA Mock Trade: Rockets Grab Depth from Wizards

The Houston Rockets are starting to cement themselves as a playoff team in the Western Conference with a 15-7 record. The Rockets currently sit as the second seed, 1.5 games back of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

If Houston wants to cement itself as a legitimate contender, it will need to fix some holes in the roster. There are two positions in which the Rockets lack depth: point guard and center. Fred VanVleet and Alperen Sengun have become an elite duo, but the Rockets do not have a true point guard running behind VanVleet. At the center position, Steven Adams has received very little time, splitting minutes with Jock Landale. It's time for an upgrade.

The Washington Wizards are going to be selling veteran talent as NBA trade season approaches. Jonas Valanciunas and Malcolm Brogdon do not fit the timeline of the team, and that's where the Rockets come in to give the Wizards future capital.

Wizards receive: Cam Whitmore, Jae'Sean Tate, Steven Adams, Jeff Green, 2025 first-round pick (top-five protected), 2026 second-round pick (unprotected), 2031 second-round pick (unprotected)

Rockets receive: Jonas Valanciunas, Malcolm Brogdon, 2025 second-round pick (unprotected)

Houston finally pulls the plug on Whitmore, who was recently assigned to the G League. There just wasn't enough room to fit him in at the forward position, but he has the chance to thrive in Washington. Adams, Green, and Tate are salary fillers, but a first-round pick in the lucrative 2025 NBA Draft followed by second-round capital makes up for it.

The Rockets would establish themselves as a legitimate force in the West if they acquired Valanciunas and Brogdon. Valanciunas was the starting center for a playoff team for the majority of his career and could continue to be a presence off the bench.

Brogdon would take on the role as a bench scorer, balancing playmaking with Amen Thompson. The trade gives Houston a perfect mix of young talent and veteran leadership, cementing themselves as a contender.