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The Houston Rockets have tons of young talent. They are also loaded with depth, athletic freaks, defensive versatility, and players with unique offensive skill sets. However, they seem to be missing a true top-scoring option. Their lack of a megastar was prevalent during their first-round postseason loss to the Golden State Warriors, and now the Rockets' offseason trade rumors are ready to hit high gear.
The Rockets, who are led by really good players, such as Alperen Sengun, Fred VanVleet, Amen Thompson, and Jalen Green, earned the two-seed during the regular season, but they became just the seventh two-seed to lose to a seven-seed. The team's lack of a true go-to option who could be relied upon as an efficient scoring threat on a nightly basis was a big reason for their demise.
Sengun made his first All-Star Game in 2025, but he might be best as a second scoring option because arguably his best attribute is his passing. The Rockets were heavily reliant on VanVleet, especially when it comes to 3-point shooting, but his lack of size makes him an inefficient player. Thompson is a freak athlete, but he doesn't have much of a jump shot, and Green flashes stardom, but those flashes come few and far between.
Luckily, there are plenty of stars who might be on the trading block that Houston can try and trade for. They just so happen to be rich with draft capital and young assets that could intrigue opposing teams to do business with them, too. So, check out the gallery to see the superstar trade options that the Rockets should look into this offseason.
1. Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
Rockets receive: Kevin Durant
Suns receive: Fred VanVleet, Cam Whitmore, Aaron Holiday, 2025 first-round pick (via Suns), 2027 first-round pick (via Suns)
The Rockets need a three-level scorer who can approach or surpass 30 points per game night in and night out. Few players, if any, fit that description better than Kevin Durant because he is one of the best bucket-getters the game has ever seen. Durant is 36 years old, but he still looks like he is in his prime.
The Phoenix Suns were shopping the future Hall of Famer, who is arguably already a top 10 player in NBA history, ahead of the 2025 NBA trade deadline. Since no deal came to fruition then, a trade seems inevitable this offseason. The Suns and their big three failed in a big way, but the team has almost no draft capital. Therefore, there isn't a better team to trade with than the Rockets because Houston owns a lot of their future first-round picks.
The Rockets could give the Suns back some of their picks, which would allow the Suns to rebuild properly. Meanwhile, Houston would get a near-seven-footer who can score from deep, in the mid-range, or inside, all with unmatched efficiency. Because Durant will be 37 years old next year, the Rockets likely won't demand an arm and a leg for him, either. Reports indicate that the team would want three first-round picks for him, but because these are Phoenix's picks, they might settle for two first-rounders and a young talent like Cam Whitmore.
Whitmore is one of many exciting youngsters in Houston, but the team's incredible depth means that he might not have a significant role with the Rockets going forward. The biggest concern for Houston after this trade would be a lack of point guard depth on the roster, as everybody saw the Suns struggle without a true lead floor general. Adding Durant would be worth it, though, and luckily, Sengun is one of the best passing big men in NBA history.
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Rockets receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Bucks receive: Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, Jock Landale, Nate Williams, 2027 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick, 2031 first-round pick, 2027 first-round pick (via Suns)
A trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo would be more expensive than a deal for Durant, and the Milwaukee Bucks star isn't the caliber of shooter that the player in Phoenix is, but this deal still would make a lot of sense for the Rockets. In fact, Antetokounmpo actually fits the Rockets timeline better than Durant.
Houston has Sengun, Green, Thompson, Whitmore, Jabari Smith Jr., Reed Sheppard, and Tari Eason as young players who were recent first-round picks. While some of them are dealt here, the team would still hold onto a bunch of sub-25-year-olds, and Antetokounmpo is only 30 years old.
The Greek Freak is a specimen who is 6-foot-11 and weighs 243 pounds. On offense, he gets into the paint and scores inside at will. The two-time MVP has averaged around 30 pounds per game in every season since 2017-18. On the other end, Antetokounmpo is a former Defensive Player of the Year winner who can swat shots at the rim or clamp up at the point of attack.
Antetokounmpo has played his entire career in Milwaukee, but some believe a trade request could be on the horizon. The Bucks just lost in the first round of the playoffs for the third straight year, and Damian Lillard suffered a torn achilles tendon in that series, which puts a cloud over his future in the NBA. Sengun's finesse game would pair well with Antetokounmpo, and his athletic prowess would fit right in with elite leapers like Green, Whitmore, and Thompson.
3. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
Rockets receive: Devin Booker
Suns receive: Jalen Green, Reed Sheppard, Jock Landale, 2025 first-round pick (via Suns), 2027 first-round pick (via Suns), 2029 first-round pick (via Suns), 2026 first-round pick
While Durant will likely be on the move, the Suns seem likely to hold onto their other superstar, Devin Booker. However, one trade of a superstar could lead to another, and stockpiling draft picks in a full-blown rebuild could make a lot of sense for the Suns. After all, they weren't a playoff team with Durant and Booker, so the future with just Booker wouldn't appear very bright.
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The shooting guard has a case as the best player at his position in the NBA. He can hit any shot and has experience as the best player on a team in the NBA Finals. Fans see a lot of Green in Booker, but it is becoming more and more likely that Green will never come close to reaching that potential.
Green was particularly bad in the playoffs. The former number two overall pick scored 12 or fewer points in six of the seven games against the Warriors. The lights appeared to be too bright for Green, so an upgrade to Booker would be big for the franchise. In this deal, the Suns not only get all of their picks back that the Rockets own, but they even get one additional first-round selection.
Additionally, Sheppard is included in this deal. While the third pick from the 2024 NBA Draft struggled to break the rotation as a rookie, he still has sky-high potential, evidenced by his big numbers in the G-League. Sheppard could replace Booker as a potential star in the backcourt for the Suns, and the Rockets would be happy to get a proven star and perennial All-Star player.
4. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
Rockets receive: Trae Young
Hawks receive: Jalen Green, Reed Sheppard, 2025 first-round pick (via Suns), 2027 first-round pick (via Suns), 2026 first-round pick
It is far from a guarantee that the Atlanta Hawks would consider trading Trae Young, but Atlanta just missed the playoffs for the second straight season. They had a first-round exit in the two years prior, and Young's ability to lead the team to championship contention is coming into question.
That is because the point guard is one of the worst defensive players in the NBA. The Hawks have been unable to surround him with enough defensive help, but the Rockets are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. They have more than enough talent to mask Young's weaknesses. The Rockets would even be trading away two of their weaker defensive players in this trade.
Young is an absolute force on offense. He just averaged 24.2 points per game due to his incredible floater and deep range. He is also one of the best playmakers in the NBA, as evidenced by the league-leading 11.6 assists per game he put up. Young might be more flawed than the players above him on this list, but he could still catapult the team to championship contention.
5. Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies
Rockets receive: Ja Morant, John Konchar
Grizzlies receive: Reed Sheppard, Fred VanVleet, 2026 first-round pick, 2025 first-round pick (via Suns), 2027 first-round pick (via Suns)
Another point guard who likely isn't on the trading block but just might be is Ja Morant. Morant's Grizzlies were embarrassed in the first round just weeks after they fired Taylor Jenkins from his role as the team's head coach. Morant has all of the athletic ability and basketball talent in the world, but the Grizzlies could be growing tired of his antics.
Morant is regularly in the news for questionable decisions. He was suspended twice in 2023-24 for gun-related issues, and the point guard continued to use violence-related celebrations this past season. He has also been injured far too often throughout his young career, and his 3-point shot hasn't developed as much as the Grizzlies would have liked.
While all of this could lead to a trade, none of it should stop the Rockets from making a move on the Murray State product. Morant is a freakish athlete who can finish below or above the rim better than almost anybody else in the NBA. The two-time All-Star has the potential to re-establish himself as one of the very best players in the NBA.
Opposing teams simply wouldn't have the defensive firepower to slow down all of Morant, Green, and Thompson, and Sengun would have a field day passing to those three slashers. Shooting from beyond the arc would be a potential concern in Houston with Morant on the team, but this deal would still be looked at as the upgrade that could get the team over the hump.
