Ranking Rockets' Top Trade Targets After 2025 NBA Playoff Loss vs. Warriors
Under coach Ime Udoka's creation, the Houston Rockets have instilled an NBA-championship-level defense and culture.
The problem is the offense is more play-in tournament-level qualityāif that.
If the Rockets can't get out in the open court or inhale an offensive rebound, they're basically toast. Their half-court offensive efficiency ranked just 22nd overall this season, per Cleaning the Glass, making that five consecutive campaigns in which they've landed 20th or worse in the category.
Houston's need for a high-end shot-creator is obvious. And should the Rockets manage to scratch that itch, they'd immediately slot in as one of the Association's top-shelf contenders.
Given their asset collection, they can afford to pursue the best players on the market. There might be major difference-makers available, too. Their budget is rich enough to chase anyone, but the following three players seem like particularly snug fits.
3. Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz
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Markkanen isn't quite a tier-one offensive force, but he could be awfully close to it. Detractors will say his numbers have been inflated by suiting up for some bottom-feeders in Salt Lake City, but it's not like it's easy to average 24.5 points on 49/39.5/88.5 shooting like he did during the previous two seasons.
Plus, he's not particularly ball-dominant for a featured option. That's important if Houston is hoping to upgrade its offense without taking touches away from Alperen ÅengĆ¼n or, if he isn't traded, Jalen Green.
Regardless whom the Rockets keep, Markkanen would make their lives easier. He's a scoring threat from anywhere and a walking mismatch. He's too skilled for most bigs to handle on the perimeter, and if a smaller player gets switched onto him, he can punish them in the low post.
He also obviously doesn't fit Utah's timeline, so he shouldn't be overly difficult to pry away. That's especially true if his sagging stats this past season convince other would-be suitors to stay away from him and the $195.9 million he'll collect over the next four campaigns, per Spotrac.
2. Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
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The Rockets might prefer a different desert-based net-shredder (who occupies the No. 1 slot), but no one in need of an offensive jolt should overlook Durant.
He is one of the most gifted scorers to ever pass through this league, and the 36-year-old is handling the aging curve about as well as anyone not named LeBron James. Injuries have become more of a hurdle for Durant at this juncture of his career, but his numbers largely look the same.
His 26.6 points, 4.2 assists and 2.6 three-pointers this past season might be reason enough for Houston to give chase. As per usual, though, his efficiency perhaps wowed even more than his volume. His 52.7 field-goal percentage was the fourth-best of his legendary career, while his 43 percent splash rate from three was his second-highest.
Even better, Houston could add him to upgrade the offense without sacrificing any of its length or versatility on defense. If anything, he'd enhance those traits.
1. Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns
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Booker has been the proverbial apple of Houston's eye for a while. When you think about the kind of player who could get this offense rolling, you picture someone like him.
He is an elite shot-maker who shows seemingly perpetual growth as a shot-creator. His marksmanship is such that he demands defensive attention away from the ball, and his on-ball skills allow him to generate one scoring chance after the next for himself and his teammates.
While he hasn't booked a ton of playoff trips, he has thrive under the bright lights upon arrival. And since he's still only 28 years old, his addition wouldn't put too much win-right-this-second heat on Houston's young core.
The Suns say they aren't trading Booker, but their flawed roster and depleted asset collection says they should. If Phoenix ever accepts that fate, Houston will be the first club to make a phone call, and it may not take more than one to get a deal done given the strength of the Rockets' asset collection.
