Rockets Reportedly Expected to Be 'Significant Hub for Trade Activity' Before Draft
The Houston Rockets "will be a significant hub for trade activity" heading into the 2025 NBA draft, according to ESPN's Jonathan Givony.
"There is likely to be significant debate about what the Rockets should do with this pick, as they are a prime target for an 'all-in' type of move for a veteran star like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant, or Ja Morant, but also they have salary cap and luxury tax implications to think about long-term with Green and Alperen Şengün's extensions kicking in this offseason — and significant expenditure on the horizon with several other big decisions looming in the form of Fred VanVleet's team option and Steven Adams' unrestricted free agency," Givony wrote.
That just about sums it up.
The Rockets are ninth in the lottery odds by virtue of owning the Phoenix Suns' 2025 first-rounder. They have a 3.8 percent chance of getting the No. 1 pick and 17.3 percent odds of moving up into the top four.
Maybe Houston encounters the best-case scenario and actually wins the lottery, thus meaning the opportunity to add Duke's Cooper Flagg.
Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, Baylor wing VJ Edgecombe and Scarlet Knights forward Ace Bailey were next off the board in the newest mock draft from Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman. Any of the three would be a good consolation prize.
Otherwise, the lottery pick in the possession of general manager Rafael Stone might be best used in a trade that immediately helps the roster.
Winning 52 games and pushing the Golden State Warriors to seven games was another sign of progress for the organization.
Sooner or later, a blockbuster trade will happen, however, because Houston has too much young talent and draft capital to ignore the temptation forever. As good as Green, Şengün, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. are, none has emerged as a true All-NBA elite player yet.
Identifying the right star who can help elevate the team further and when to go all in is the broad challenge in front of Stone.
