Sheldon Wohlman of Utility Sports jumps into a Houston Rockets trade guide ahead of the 2025 NBA Trade Deadline as the young, up-and-coming Rockets are a lethal team to watch for when it comes to acquiring a true 1A star player out in the open market. While discussions centered around Jimmy Butler may appear as noise, the Rockets are truly best suited to patiently await the arrival of a younger superstar player. Devin Booker, De’Aaron Fox and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the headliners of the potential options the Rockets may consider trading for in the not-so distant future. Leave a like and subscribe for more NBA Content!
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0:00 – Houston Rockets Trade Guide Intro
1:10 – Video Preview
2:21 – Tradeable Players Excluding the Core Nucleus
5:00 – Houston Rockets Future Draft Picks
6:20 – Rockets long-term cap space
8:03 – Are the Houston Rockets buyers at the 2025 Trade Deadline
11:25 – Potential NBA Trade Partners
13:49 – Projected Activity Level
16:00 – Comment, Like and Subscribe
#rockets #nba #utilitysports #tradedeadline
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32 comments
Point one: You talk about patience for this season...mainly on the trade market. Only because the one movable player that makes sense cannot be traded until the offseason (JG), plus he is still on his cheaper rookie contract which doesn't allow for good salary matches with star players. I have been saying this since the off season...if the Rockets cannot find a good deal for JG (which they won't because of his cheap contract will force them to mess up the team just to trade JG), then they will extend him and keep him for the season.
Point two: Yes, Booker makes more sense than KD due to age, but Booker comes with 3 more years of a max contract at ages 29-31. This will go against the genius moves that the Rockets' front office has been doing since the post Harden trade. BTW, you should give credit where credit is due...Stone is the GM since then and is the main reason they are where they are now...he is a Basketball genius. You seem to ignore that if the Rockets take on Booker's max, then that is one of the young core that they cannot give a max to...what is better, a max to a 29-31 yo or a max to a 25-30 yo? And you talk about KD age, Giannis and DB are older than their young core too and the Rockets will be wanting to maximize their future.
Point three: JG is their SG...Booker is a SG and Cam has been playing SG this season and much of last season. He is 20yo with 2+ years on his rookie contract. I see that the Rockets view him as their future SG (SF secondary) with Reed splitting time at PG and SG. Reed has 3+ years on his rookie contract. Those two gives the Rockets the genius flexibility that you say is how the Rockets operate.
Point four: I like that you talked about the trade with the Nets...a 1st rounder & swap for two 1st rounders and 2 swaps from the Suns and I know you and others point to that for the Rockets going after Booker or KD. You forget a different possible reason Stone did that. As you pointed out they have 2 first + 1 swap in 2027 & 2029. This is the Rockets' timeline when they will be full of max contracts from their young core and they will start to lose some to free agency at that point and later. These 4 first rounders gives them an injection of young talent on cheap rookie contracts that they will need to extend their dominance. This makes so much more sense than using those draft picks to trade for Booker (as you think they will).
Point five: If the Rockets don't make a deal with the Suns that includes the Suns not getting back their 2027 & 2029 picks, then that makes a successful Suns' rebuild that much harder and that will benefit the Rockets in the West. Also, don't forget that the Rockets have the Suns' 2025 pick and as of now it would be a lottery pick (#12)...plus, the Suns are one injury away (and KD is injury prone) from making that a top 7 pick...WOW, what a great trade with the Nets. All Hail Stone...again.
Point six: I don't see the Rockets necessarily using JG to get a star player anyways. Like I said, an older max will prevent maxing one of the young core. Plus, Stone seems to want to pushout his first round assets further into the future. A JG trade for an $30m vet on an expiring contract (or a backup + an expiring contract) + 1st rounders in the years 2030 & 2032 would fit Stone's genius to further extend their dominance. I can see a aging contending team giving up a couple 1st round picks for JG (possibly top 5 protected).
Point seven: Stone, the owner and coach have REPEATEDLY said they love their roster...why don't peeps listen to this? Plus, Udoka already has them at a top 4 record in the NBA and they are only going to get better due to their young core. There is no reason to mess with that...not even to fulfill your star-power trade happy narrative.
Be Patient...enjoy the coming dynasty...Go Rockets
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