Rockets Reportedly Uninterested in Trae Young Trade

As the NBA trade deadline sits less than a month away, the Houston Rockets have a decision to make on whether or not the roster should be altered. At 22-11, they're in a solid spot right now (fifth in the Western Conference), but there's always room for improvement.

There are a few notable names on the market right now, but with Giannis Antetokounmpo's availability unclear, Trae Young has been dominating headlines over the last few days, and likely will leading up to Feb. 5. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Young and the Atlanta Hawks are working on a trade that would lead to his departure.

The 27-year-old, despite dealing with injuries this season, is still averaging 19.3 points and 8.9 assists per game. While he has been one of the more popular and skilled point guards this decade, Young's efficiency has been way down, posting 42-31-86 shooting splits. He has also faced his fair share of criticism regarding defense, which diminishes his market value.

The Rockets seemingly understand this and have pushed themselves out of rumors, despite having a need at the point guard position. According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Houston is uninterested in a trade and is unlikely to make a move for the Hawks' All-Star.

On the surface, the Rockets should be linked to Atlanta regarding Young. After Fred VanVleet went down with a torn ACL, they've had a turnover problem, ranking 29th in such rate (16.2%).

Houston doesn't have a true floor general and has thus relied on Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant to initiate the offense. While it has worked to some degree, there are still major flaws.

But Young still wouldn't fit the Rockets, given his need for the ball in his hands to score, as well as his defensive concerns. The only team heavily linked to the point guard is the Washington Wizards, who are a legitimate destination, according to NBA insider Marc Stein. Ideally, Atlanta's return package would be centered around CJ McCollum.

The Rockets are set to play out January as one of the teams least likely to make any roster changes ahead of the trade deadline. They have the young core in place for the future, but also boast veteran talent with postseason experience. So far, Houston is looking like an elite team in a crowded Western Conference, but how far can it go without VanVleet?

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