One of the worst-kept secrets in the entire NBA is the Houston Rockets' desire to further add fuel to their rebuilding project that may be one piece away from a full-blown take-off. The Rockets have the young assets and draft capital to pull off a trade, and they appear to be focusing on adding a star-level forward to give them a two-way weapon on the wing. With this in mind, could the Rockets find themselves squarely in the hunt for Paul George?

Five seasons after pulling off a blockbuster trade for George, the Los Angeles Clippers appear to be nearing the end of their rope with the 34-year old forward. George is set to enter the final year of his contract, as he has a player option worth around $48.8 million for the 2023-24 campaign. But with the two parties not seeing eye to eye in contract extension negotiations, George appears to be primed for a departure, with it being very likely that he opts into his contract so that the Clippers could trade him away. This could pave the way for the Rockets to acquire him.

Alas, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that, according to his sources, “the chances of Houston landing George are unlikely.” The Rockets may be “big-game hunting”, as Scotto noted, but it looks as if they'll be going in another direction when it comes to loading up their roster this offseason.

George may not have helped his stock whatsoever with some of his most recent comments in his eponymous podcast, but he should still be one of the best two-way wings in the league moving forward — a must for any contending team to have on the roster. 6'8 forwards who average 23-5-4 while being one of the best floor-spacers in the association don't grow on trees.

But the Rockets' purported hesitation in going all-in on Paul George is understandable. They might prefer someone who can grow alongside their young core; meanwhile, George is entering the twilight years of his career. It will be interesting to see how the Rockets maneuver, especially when they're armed with the third overall pick of the upcoming NBA Draft.

Assessing the Rockets' options

The Rockets have the luxury of choice when it comes to making their big move for this offseason. They can cobble together the contracts necessary to pull off a trade for a star player, and they have two future Brooklyn Nets picks that could be worth a lot given how much that roster appears to be in disarray these days. This is in addition to all their first-round picks that they still own (they are only obligated to give up their 2026 first-round pick if it falls outside the top four).

Moreover, they also have some few young prospects to dangle; Cam Whitmore and Tari Eason could be breakout candidates in larger roles that may not be available for them with the Rockets while Jabari Smith Jr. is only 21 and could be a major piece in a monster trade. The Rockets are in an enviable position, and they can always add the third overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft to sweeten the deal even further.

With that said, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN wrote that the Rockets “could have interest in targeting” the likes of Kevin Durant, Jimmy Butler, Mikal Bridges and Brandon Ingram to fill their need for a star on the wing.

Given how much the Phoenix Suns gave up for Durant, there is no way they are giving up on him after just one and a half seasons. Durant is also under contract for two more years, so there is no urgency for the Suns to trade him away.

Butler, like Durant, is also under contract for two more seasons. The catch, however, is that he has a player option for the 2025-26 campaign. All reports suggest, however, that the Miami Heat aren't interested in trading Jimmy Butler this offseason even though they aren't willing to give him a huge extension.

The Nets already rebuffed the Rockets' trade overtures for Mikal Bridges; can the two teams finally come to an agreement on a trade? Brandon Ingram is well on his way out of New Orleans; but do the Rockets see him as the piece that pushes them over the top?

The Rockets, per Givony and Woo, could also look into trading for Brook Lopez, someone they reportedly pursued in free agency last year, and they could also entertain the idea of trading for Marcus Smart to further add to their gritty, defensive identity.