The Houston Rockets have been one of the surprise teams in the NBA this season. After barely missing the final Play-In spot last season, Houston has continued to improve as they look as though they will reach the playoff for the first time since 2019-20.
The Rockets currently sit third in the Western Conference standings with a 19-9 record and trail the Oklahoma City Thunder by only three and a half games for the top spot.
Houston’s young core of Jalen Green, Alperen Şengün and Amen Thompson have continued to develop and have led the Rockets to a great start. Their veterans, Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks, have also been a huge part of their success.
While the Rockets are sitting nicely in the West right now, they could still pull off a blockbuster move to add another star before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. Houston has many young players and a plethora of draft assets to pull off almost any trade they want.
One player who has recently been in trade rumors is the Sacramento Kings’ All-Star point guard, De’Aaron Fox. The Kings have had a disappointing season and are currently outside of the playoff picture. Because of this, there is a growing belief that Fox could force his way out.
According to Forbes’ Evan Sidery, both the Rockets and San Antonio Spurs have been monitoring Fox, who is a Houston native. He also reported that Houston’s general manager, Rafael Stone, has said that they will not consider making a major trade until the summer.
While the Rockets might not want to break up their young core this season, trading for Fox would upgrade their roster and improve their championship odds.
In a possible trade, Houston could send VanVleet, Jabari Smith Jr. and draft capital to Sacramento for Fox and Kevin Huerter. This trade works well for both sides as the Kings would add another talented young forward, while also replacing Fox with a solid point guard in VanVleet.
For the Rockets, Fox is a younger, cheaper and better option at point guard than VanVleet. The 27-year-old is having one of the best seasons of his career and could help lead the Rockets to a deep playoff run.
The Rockets would also receive Huerter in the deal. He is a great scorer and could provide a spark off the bench in Houston.
By making this trade, the Rockets would improve their lineup and better their championship odds for this season, while also setting themselves up for more success in the future.
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